Burning Bridges
by A Spot of Bother
Summary: AU. Maybe when we're done with endings this can begin. Roxas-centric. Axel/Roxas.
1. Beginning of

(A/N): Fair warning - long author's note. Feel free to skip ahead if you prefer. Okay, first and foremost, I have **not** abandoned _Waiting_. I'm just having serious issues with writer's block where that story's concerned. It is still my first priority. Secondly, I'm as surprised as anyone that I'm doing another multi-chaptered fic. And I'll state right upfront that I have only a very vague idea of where I'm going with this. And the obligatory 'updates will be sporadic at best' disclaimer. Still, if you can forgive the fact that this isn't the next chapter of _Waiting_ and review anyway, it's always appreciated.

Disclaimer: I totally owned the glory that is the Kingdom Hearts franchise. And then I woke up.

Beginning of

Roxas was pretty sure the road was dark enough to qualify as pitch black – he'd always thought the saying was an exaggeration, but he could barely see his hand when he waved it in front of his face. Apparently the people of Hollow Bastion didn't believe in streetlights. Scowling, he hitched his duffle bag up on his shoulder and buried his hands in his pockets.

Not only was it was dark, if was fucking freezing. Roxas didn't think he'd been able to really feel his face for the last half hour. He raised a hand and tapped a finger experimentally against his cheek. The sensation was very remote – hardly there at all. He heaved a sigh and stuffed his hand back into his pocket.

All in all, he had to admit the night was pretty much sucking at this point.

He paused on the corner, squinting as he tried to decipher the street sign by the weak light of the quarter moon. He'd made out D-I-S when a pair of high beams rounded a corner further down the road and reduced his vision to a wash of white. Belatedly clapping a hand over his eyes, Roxas ground his teeth together and shrank away from the road.

Great. This was just what he needed. He turned away from the light, lowering his hand and blinking experimentally into the darkness. Ghostly images swam across his vision, and he scowled as the light grew brighter behind him. He closed his eyes again, pressing his fingers lightly against the lids. He didn't have time for this. Hunching his shoulders irritably, he waited for the car to pass him.

"Hey, kid."

Roxas almost tripped over his own feet as he whipped around. The car with the obnoxious high beams had paused in the street next to him, and a man was poking his head out the driver side window. Roxas wasn't sure, but he thought his eyes looked green in the backwash of the headlights. "What the hell are you doing out here?" the stranger asked. Roxas glared at him as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Walking."

The man arched an eyebrow and glanced at his dashboard, and Roxas decided the marks on his cheeks were tattoos, not shadows. "Walking," he said dubiously.

"That's what I said," Roxas grumbled, rolling his eyes. The other man ignored him.

"Walking," he repeated, sweeping his gaze back to Roxas's face. "At one in the morning." Roxas scowled and glanced to the side, wishing the guy would just hurry up and get to whatever point he was trying to make so he could continue on his way. "In dark clothing. You realize you're just about _begging_ to be another hit-and-run statistic?"

Roxas glared at the street sign; _now_ he could make out the N-E-Y at the tail end. His shoulders slumped in a silent sigh as he mentally consulted his directions. He still had at least a mile to go. If this guy would just get on with it and leave him the hell alone, he could get to the motel and –

"Where are you going?"

Roxas dragged his attention back to the stranger, blinking. "What?" The man heaved an exaggerated sigh and pulled a hand through his hair.

"I _said_ where are you going?" Roxas's eyes narrowed as he stiffened, his hands curling into fists in his pockets.

"None of your damn business," he snapped. The guy just regarded him with poorly concealed impatience.

"Look kid – it's dark. It's fucking _freezing_. If you don't get frostbite, you're gonna get run over. If you had a lick of sense, you wouldn't be wandering around town with no car this late –"

"I have a car," Roxas interrupted heatedly, wincing at the derisive snort that issued from the other man.

"Yeah, I can see how much good it's doing you," he drawled, smirking at Roxas's expression. Roxas remained silent, glaring at the man. The stranger blew out a quick breath, tilting his head to the side as he studied the blond. "Get in."

"_What_."

The guy rolled his eyes at Roxas's expression. "Get. In. Even I'd feel bad if I left a kid like you to die on the side of the road."

"I'm fine," Roxas grated out, hating the way the other man's eyes glinted as he grinned.

"I can see that. Are you getting in or not?"

Roxas hesitated another minute, glaring at the man in complete and total frustration. He didn't _need_ this, not on top of everything else. Tearing his eyes away from the man, he glanced up the street and consulted his mental map again. It was still at least another mile to the motel. He shivered as a dry gust of wind chased itself down the sidewalk. The guy in the car just smirked at him. Shoulders slumping, he stepped off the curb and trudged over to the passenger side door, wishing he had a Struggle bat with him.

Or a two by four.

"If you try anything…" He trailed off into a grumble, throwing his bag into the backseat. The man rolled his eyes, flicking the heat up.

"Please. You're not that damn cute, kid." Roxas glowered and sank down in the seat, staring out the window. "So where are you going?"

"The Highwind." The man nodded and put the car in gear, pulling a U-turn at the next intersection and heading in the direction he'd come from. Roxas couldn't help a small, satisfied sigh as he sank further down in the seat, eyelids drooping as delicious waves of heat from the vents washed over him. "Thanks." The other man didn't respond, but Roxas saw the smile that tugged at his lips from the corner of his eye.

The drive was silent; Roxas rested his head back against the headrest, reveling in the tingling sensations spreading through his extremities as the blood began to flow freely again.

The neon sign for the Highwind was like a beacon in the eerily dark street, the steadily burning _Vacancy_ sign the most pleasant sight Roxas had laid eyes on in what felt like a long while. The glow washed over them as the stranger pulled the car into the lot, and Roxas noticed the guy's hair was almost as vibrantly red as the neon sign. The redhead pulled up in front of the manager's office, leaning forward to peer inside. "Light's on," he offered. Roxas nodded.

"Yeah." He paused, biting at his lip as he stared absently at the front of the hotel. "So…thanks." The redhead nodded, another quick smile darting across his face before he reached in the back and hauled Roxas's bag forward, dumping it into his lap.

"Get out of my hair, kid." Roxas laughed and opened the door, pushing himself up and out of the car. The redhead nodded at him, grinning as Roxas closed the door, before he pulled the car into a parking space so he could turn around in the narrow lot.

Roxas reached a hand out to push the door of the office open – and collided with it, a startled gasp whooshing out of him as he staggered back. Behind him, the redhead's car slowed and then stopped. "What's wrong?"

Roxas glanced over his shoulder at the man, expression skewed into something between annoyance and disbelief. "It's locked."

"What do you _mean_ it's locked? They don't friggin' lock motel offices – it's like, illegal or something." Roxas shoved against the door again before tearing a hand through his hair in frustration. He should've just stayed with his car.

"It's _locked_." The man stared at him for another moment before he threw the car back into gear, pulling into the parking space again. He shoved the car door open, leaving the vehicle running as he jogged to where Roxas stood. Nudging the blond to the side, he reached out, grasped the handle and pulled. The door opened easily. Roxas could feel the heat flooding his cheeks as the man turned to stare at him. "Oh."

The redhead arched an eyebrow. "You okay, kid?" Roxas scowled and glanced away.

"It's been a bad day," he admitted grudgingly. The redhead's eyebrow traveled a little higher.

"Clearly." When Roxas continued to avoid his eyes, the redhead shook his head and grabbed the back of Roxas's neck, gently shoving him through the door before following and pulling it closed behind them.

"H-hey! What the hell –"

"Relax, kid," the redhead drawled, rolling his eyes. The front of the office was deserted. Clapping a hand on Roxas's shoulder, the stranger steered him toward the counter. Roxas scowled and tried to shrug his hand away.

"Get off."

The redhead glanced at him and smirked before he let his hand fall away. "You know, you could be a _little_ nicer to me," he pointed out. Roxas ignored him, stalking toward the counter. The redhead tagged behind him, hands buried in his pockets. "What were you doing on the road so late, anyway?"

There was no bell on the counter. Roxas leaned over the ledge, craning his neck to try and see if anyone was in the small inner office. It looked deserted. "My car broke down."

"Where were you going?"

Roxas turned and glared at the man – the redhead only offered him a crooked smile and ran a hand through his hair. "I don't see how that's any of your business," Roxas growled, trying to brush past him. The redhead looped an arm over his shoulders, ignoring the way Roxas shouted and mussing his hair with his free hand.

"I'm making it my business," he stated, grinning. "Whatever the hell you're doing, kid, you're clearly in over your head."

"Get _off_ of me!" Roxas growled, shoving himself away from the other man. "I don't _need_ your help, you moron!" The redhead only smirked at him.

"Do I look like I believe you? No."

"What the hell's all that racket?" an irritable voice demanded from somewhere behind the counter. Roxas whipped around and felt immeasurably relieved to find the manager finally emerging from somewhere beyond the inner office. He cast a baleful eye over Roxas and the redhead, crossing his arms over his chest. "I don't need any trouble tonight," he growled, gaze passing back and forth between them.

"I just want a room," Roxas said hurriedly, stepping forward and setting his duffle bag on the counter. Doing his utmost to ignore the redhead, he reached into his back pocket for his wallet. His fingers met only the fabric of his jeans. Frowning slightly, Roxas tried the other back pocket. Still nothing. His frown deepened as he patted the front of his jeans and rooted through his jacket pockets. He shot a tight, apologetic smile at the manager, but the man only narrowed his eyes and regarded him with poorly concealed irritation. Trying to beat back a rising sense of panic, Roxas unzipped his duffle bag, shoving things aside haphazardly. He jumped when the redhead slapped a credit card down onto the counter next to him.

"You were saying you didn't need my help?" he asked, tone mocking. Roxas's fingers curled into fists as he glared down at his bag, refusing to look at the man. He should've stayed with the car. He shouldn't have tried to keep going after the engine had started to rattle like that. Hell, he should've just abandoned the whole thing from the get-go –

The redhead sighed, reaching out and ruffling Roxas's hair as he nodded at the manager. "Looks like we need a room." The manager glared at the both of them for a moment before he grabbed the card and disappeared back into his inner office. The redhead blew out another breath in a sigh before glancing down at Roxas again. "Hey."

"_What_?" Roxas's voice was little more than a frustrated snarl as he attempted to put the contents of his duffle bag back into some semblance of order. It wasn't supposed to _be_ this damn _hard_. He wiped a hand tiredly over his face before noticing that the redhead was extending his hand.

"It's Axel."

Roxas stared at the man's hand for a moment before his eyes traced their way to his face. The redhead was regarding him quietly, eyes resting patiently on his face. The blond sighed heavily before taking the man's hand in his own, giving it a curt shake. "Roxas." Axel grinned and drew his hand back.

"Okay." He stuck his hands back in his pockets, glancing back at the door. "So. You gonna tell me about it?" Roxas sighed heavily before pulling his duffle bag off the counter and slinging it over his shoulder again.

"No." Axel's lips just twitched up in another smirk.

"Okay, then – be like that."

Before Roxas could respond, the surly manager shoved his way back into the small area behind the counter. "You're in room seven," he muttered, sliding Axel's credit card and a keycard across the counter. The redhead nodded in thanks and pocketed both items before turning and grinning at Roxas.

"Coming?"

Roxas just glared at him until Axel chuckled and swept past him, reaching out to poke lightly at his forehead. "Your face'll freeze like that, you know." Roxas didn't bother dignifying the comment with a response – he just shoved his hands in his pockets and trailed the redhead back out of the office.

Axel paused at his car, plucking his keys from the ignition and pulling a beat-up overnight bag from the back seat. He glanced back to make sure Roxas was still following him before digging the keycard out of his pocket and heading for the row of doors facing the parking lot. Roxas trailed behind him silently, moving past him once Axel found their room.

They both froze in the doorway.

"That moron." Axel's expression wavered between annoyed and amused. Roxas stared for another moment before he bit back a groan and began to turn away.

"I'm gonna sleep in the car." Axel snorted and caught him by the arm.

"You're not sleeping in my damn car." Roxas tore his free hand through his hair and glared at the man.

"Well I'm sure as hell not sleeping _here_," he shot back, jabbing a finger at the single bed. A sharp grin flashed across Axel's face.

"What's the matter, Rox_as_? You shy?" He laughed and sidestepped the punch Roxas threw at him, ruffling the blond's hair. "Jesus, chill out, would you? Take the bed." Not giving Roxas a chance to reply, he grabbed him by the back of the neck and shoved him further into the room, tossing his bag into the corner and closing the door behind them. Roxas watched him with narrowed eyes as Axel threw himself down in one of the uncomfortable-looking chairs at the small table. When Axel noticed him watching, he flashed a sharp grin. "What?"

Roxas shook his head and dumped his bag on the foot of the bed. "Nothing." Axel arched an eyebrow at him, but just shrugged and settled a little more deeply into the chair. "You gonna be okay sleeping there?" Axel smirked, eyes flashing across Roxas's one last time before his lids slipped closed.

"I'll live. Go to sleep, Roxas."

Roxas frowned and slid his shoes off before crawling under the covers, not even bothering to remove his jacket. He curled up on his side, staring at the wall and wondering how the hell he was supposed to just go to sleep with a man who, for all he knew, might be an axe murderer sitting no more than two feet away from him in the dark.

He was still mulling over the situation when his exhaustion revoked any choice he might've had in the matter – before he was quite aware of it, his eyes had slipped closed and his conscious mind had surrendered to darkness.

* * *

Roxas woke to the sharp scent of fresh coffee soured by an underlying odor of mildew.

Rubbing a hand against his eyes, he rolled onto his back with a groan and stared blearily at the ceiling as he tried to remember where the hell he was.

"Mornin', sunshine."

Roxas twitched and cut his eyes to the side, taking in the sight of Axel sitting, fully dressed and apparently ready to go, at the small table. Two cups of steaming coffee and a greasy paper bag rested on the tabletop next to his elbow.

Green eyes flashed as Axel grinned at him. "'Bout time you woke up." Roxas found he didn't have the energy to respond – he settled for flipping the redhead the bird before staring back up at the ceiling. Axel chuckled, the sound low and raspy, and Roxas felt his lips curving down in a frown.

Of _course_ the man was a morning person.

"So you gonna tell me about it yet?" Axel asked. Roxas scowled and pulled himself into a sitting position, running his hands through his hair.

"What the hell do you care?" he grumbled. Axel shrugged and tipped back a sip of coffee.

"I told you last night, Roxas – I'd feel bad leaving a kid like you – a kid who obviously has no idea what the fuck he's doing out on the road –"

"Fuck you," Roxas muttered, glaring at the redhead. Axel ignored him.

"– to die a horrible, probably very violent and messy death," he finished, the sharp grin Roxas already hated flashing across his lips again.

"Stop calling me a _kid_," Roxas growled. Axel arched an eyebrow at him.

"I call 'em like I see 'em, Roxas."

"Nobody _asked_ you," Roxas grumbled, pushing himself up from the bed. His eyes were drawn inexorably to the second cup of coffee. He paused, running his tongue over his teeth. "Is that for me?" Axel shrugged.

"Knock yourself out."

Roxas nodded in thanks before dropping into the seat opposite Axel's, taking a large swallow from the Styrofoam cup before digging a greasy breakfast sandwich out of the bag. He got about halfway through the sandwich before he glanced up and found Axel watching him. "What?"

The redhead stared at him a moment longer before he snorted and gestured at the food in Roxas's hand. "This is why I don't believe you when you say you don't need help," he grumbled. "I could've put anything in there, kid, and you wolfed it down without a second thought." Roxas's brows drew together as he stared at the sandwich in his hand with dawning horror before dropping it back onto its wrapper, glaring suspiciously at Axel. Axel smirked at his expression. "Oh _please_, Roxas. You _wound_ me, you really do."

Roxas grumbled something unintelligible and shoved the food away from him, hunching over his cup of coffee. Axel chuckled at his expression before digging a beat-up pack of cigarettes out of his pocket. "You mind?" Roxas shook his head, keeping his eyes glued on the Styrofoam cup gripped tightly in his hands. The redhead lit a cigarette and tipped back in his chair, apparently studying the way the smoke curled against the low ceiling. The silence stretched out between them, tense and awkward in Roxas's ears.

"What do you want?" he asked abruptly, fingers tightening convulsively around the cup. Axel glanced at him, expression unreadable. "You did your good deed, right? Why don't you just…go?" He glanced up in time to catch the fleeting smile that graced Axel's lips for a moment before the redhead shrugged.

"I don't know," he mused, returning his gaze to the ceiling. "Guess I like you, kid – _Roxas_," he amended, grinning at the blond's scowl. Roxas snorted, feeling his shoulders relax in spite of himself.

"Yeah, that's not creepy at _all_," he muttered, grinning. Axel rolled his eyes and laid a hand over his heart.

"Ouch, Roxas. Just ouch."

A startled laugh ripped its way out of Roxas's throat; he only laughed harder when Axel arched an eyebrow at him, bending further over his coffee as he tried to wrestle himself back under control. Axel just grinned and blew smoke at him, waiting for his laughter to die away. "Better?" he asked sardonically when Roxas's laughter finally trailed off. Roxas couldn't help grinning as he wiped the tears out of the corners of his eyes.

"Shut up."

Silence settled between them again, but it was comfortable. Roxas glanced up quizzically when the legs of Axel's chair thumped back to the floor. The redhead stubbed his cigarette out in the ashtray and pulled a hand through his hair, glancing at his watch. "Time to go," he announced. Roxas arched an eyebrow at him.

"Ex_cuse_ me?" Axel held his wrist out and tapped his index finger against his watch, as if that answered Roxas's question.

"We've gotta turn our key in before noon or he'll charge us for another night. And I don't know about you, _sweetie_," Axel drawled, grinning at Roxas's glower, "but I don't want to spend another night sleeping in the damn chair." Scowling, Roxas pitched his near-empty cup into the trash and grabbed up his duffle bag, grumbling under his breath as he retreated to the bathroom to wash and change his clothing.

When he came back out Axel was standing at the door, tapping a heel idly against the frame and staring out at the road. He glanced around at Roxas with a lazy smirk. "You ready?" Roxas didn't bother to answer, only stalked past the man and into the bright morning air. Axel only chuckled, reaching out and ruffling the blond's hair, ignoring his fierce scowl. "Wait here."

Roxas set his duffle bag on the pavement, stuffing his hands in his pockets and staring down the length of the road that surely met up with the highway again somewhere up ahead. He could leave now, with Axel detained in the manager's office, and there wouldn't be a thing the redhead could do to stop him. He'd have to hike back up to his car and pray to God he'd left his wallet in the glove compartment, but after that…after that…

Well, who cared?

Roxas traced the curve of the road with his eyes again before he sighed and plopped down on top of his bag, resting his chin in his hand as he waited for Axel.

The redhead didn't say anything when he emerged from the office, but a slow grin stole across his face when his eyes fell on Roxas sitting on his duffle bag, staring moodily at nothing. Green eyes glinted in amusement when the blond scowled and swatted Axel's hand away when the redhead tried to ruffle his hair again. Axel only smirked at him as he shoved his hands into his pockets. "Well. Let's go." He turned and headed for the car, and Roxas didn't stop to think, only slung his bag over his shoulder and followed.

Axel slipped behind the wheel, glancing over at Roxas as the blond threw his bag into the back seat. "Where to?"

"I need to check on my car," Roxas muttered, curling in his seat and propping his feet on the dashboard. Axel nodded, resting a hand against Roxas's headrest as he backed out of the parking space. The trip was silent save for Roxas's curt directions. Finally, Axel pulled up behind the rusted tan station wagon Roxas had abandoned at the side of the road the night before. The redhead arched an eyebrow.

"_This_ is your car?" Roxas shrugged, already undoing his seat belt and pushing himself out of the car. It had been the only thing he could afford, but he didn't bother to share that information with the redhead. He was dimly aware of Axel getting out behind him, the sound of the door slamming almost startling in the clear air, but he ignored him, digging his keys from his pocket as he jogged forward. Axel circled Roxas's poor excuse of a vehicle as Roxas opened the passenger door and began pawing through the glove box, mumbling an incoherent prayer. His breath escaped in a harsh sigh as his fingers closed over the familiar contours of his wallet, and he tucked it into his back pocket with a grim smile.

Axel attracted his attention again when the redhead kicked his right front tire, his expression incredulous. "It would cost more than this junk heap's worth to get it running again," he mumbled, almost to himself. Roxas scowled and leaned against the car, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I know," he sighed, glaring unhappily at his shoes. Axel's gaze flicked to his face for a moment before he glanced down the road, eyes clouded with thought.

"So leave it." Roxas whipped his head around to stare at him, eyes narrowed.

"What?"

Axel shrugged and kicked at the wheel well, almost losing his balance when the rusted metal dented inward beneath his boot. "It's a fucking death trap," he grumbled, resting a hand against the hood. "Just leave it."

"And do _what_, exactly, Axel?" Roxas growled. "Hitchhike?" Axel narrowed his eyes at him before flicking his gaze aside again, head tilting to the side as he studied the road stretching away from them.

"Where are you going?"

Roxas shrugged, hunching his shoulders. "Doesn't matter."

"Dammit, kid, would you just answer the fucking question?"

Roxas heaved a defeated sigh, tilting his head up to stare at the cloudless sky. "Destiny Islands," he mumbled, steeling himself for the moment Axel would laugh in his face and return to his car, leaving him standing on the side of the road. There was a moment of silence before the redhead spoke again.

"I'll take you."

Roxas's arms tightened over his chest for a moment. "Why?" A sharp smile flashed across Axel's face, but it didn't touch his eyes.

"Yes or no?"

Roxas turned his head and met Axel's gaze. The redhead was standing at the head of the rusting contraption, arms hanging loosely at his sides and eyes flat and unreadable. Roxas chewed at the inside of his cheek for a second before he nodded, keeping his eyes locked with Axel's.

"All right."

Axel's face creased into another smile, this one lighting his eyes as he shoved his hands in his pockets. "Okay." He strode past Roxas, reaching out and ruffling his hair. "Let's go." Roxas dragged a hand through his hair, trying to make it lie flat again before he rolled his eyes and followed.


	2. Drive Until

(A/N): Does anyone even remember me starting this story? Wow. Huge apologies for the lag between updates, guys. I'll try not to let it go quite so long next time. To answer a few questions I've received regarding this fic: No, this will probably not be anywhere near the length _Waiting_ was. We'll probably be lucky to break double digits. Nor is this affiliated with _Waiting_ in any way. It is not the Bride, Son, or Return of _Waiting_. Just so there are no misunderstandings there. That said, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and forgive me for taking so long to get it up.

Disclaimer: Not in this (or any other) universe.

Drive Until

Axel threw himself into the driver's seat, only glancing over briefly as Roxas curled in his seat again, propping his feet on the dashboard. "Put on your seatbelt." The redhead only rolled his eyes and grinned when Roxas glared at him, but he didn't pull off the side of the road until Roxas fastened his belt.

Grumbling under his breath, Roxas settled back in his seat and tried to force away some of the tension singing through his body as he watched his car dwindle away into nothing in the side-view mirror. He kept his eyes glued to the delicate webbing of frost on the glass long after his car had disappeared from view, unconsciously clenching his jaw as he waited for the questions he was sure were coming.

The silence stretched on until it seemed Roxas could actually feel it pressing down on him, but Axel didn't say a word. The redhead kept his eyes glued to the road, one finger occasionally tapping a vague rhythm against the steering wheel. Roxas frowned and shifted slightly, sinking down further in his seat and crossing his arms over his chest. Axel glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, but remained silent.

Roxas's frown deepened into a scowl as he tapped one heel uneasily against the dashboard. "Do you have a radio in this thing?" he asked abruptly, glaring out the window. He thought he could feel Axel's eyes on him briefly before the redhead chuckled.

"It's busted."

Of course it was. Roxas blew out a controlled breath before he twisted around and retrieved his bag from the back seat. Axel didn't even glance at him as Roxas dug his battered CD player out of the duffle bag and slipped the headphones over his ears. Roxas ground his teeth together as he dumped his bag on the floor and rested his temple against the chilled glass of the car window.

The guy had to have questions – why didn't he just ask them already?

Music throbbed dully in Roxas's ears as stripped fields flashed by on either side of the road, and he let his eyes slide closed as the vibrations from the vehicle thrummed through his skull. Just once, it would be nice if something would go right. He winced as they struck a shallow pothole, his head bouncing against the window so hard that he straightened in his seat, grumbling. He saw Axel glance at him out of the corner of his eye, but it didn't look like the redhead's lips moved in any form of apology. Scowling, Roxas resettled in his seat and spared another glance out the window – nothing but barren earth for miles. With a sigh, he let his eyes slide closed again.

Axel shook him awake a few hours later. The redhead sat back and watched Roxas stretch, expression implacable. "You sleep too much, kid," Axel informed him, eyes glinting as he tilted his head to the side.

Roxas scowled, both at the comment and at the crick that had developed in his neck from sleeping in such a cramped position. "Where are we?" he grumbled, reaching up to try and rub the ache away. Axel shrugged.

"Pan's Pizzeria." Roxas turned and glared at him, but Axel only rolled his eyes. "I didn't catch the name of the town on the exit sign, okay? You really need to learn to relax," he added, pushing himself up and out of the car. Roxas jerked his headphones off irritably and shoved them back in his bag before following.

Roxas had to sidestep an old man with a walker and two preteen girls who giggled as he walked past to catch the redhead again. Axel was already in line, hands in his pockets and head tilted back, studying the menu hanging behind the counter. "What do you like?" he asked as Roxas came to stand beside him. Roxas frowned and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"Whatever."

Axel didn't respond, but Roxas caught the way the man's lips curved from the corner of his eye. Hunching his shoulders irritably, Roxas glared at the floor and did his best to ignore the redhead. Neither of them spoke again until they drew even with the counter. Axel dug his wallet out of his back pocket as he gave their order. "Gimme a slice of pepperoni and a slice of anchovies. And two large Cokes." He shot a glance at Roxas. "You _do_ like Coke, right, kid?"

Roxas bristled at the redhead's tone, but Axel only smirked and turned away from him again. The redhead took the two large cups the counter jockey handed him and thrust them at Roxas, trying to slip his change back into his wallet at the same time. "Go get the drinks, okay?" Roxas glared at the man for another moment before he grabbed the cups away from the redhead and stomped toward the soda machine. Behind him, the two girls broke into a fresh round of giggles.

Doing his best not to crush the cups in his hands, Roxas shoved them beneath the nozzles and tried to ignore the high-pitched laughter. When the cups were full he fumbled the lids on and grabbed up two straws. He jumped when a voice spoke close to his ear.

"You done yet?"

Roxas glared at Axel as he grabbed the sodas – the redhead was holding one of the obnoxiously orange trays with both their pizzas on it on thin paper plates. Axel only grinned at Roxas's expression before he turned and headed for one of the small booths in the dining area. Stamping down on the almost overwhelming urge to throw the man's soda at his arrogant head, Roxas followed.

Axel slid into the small booth, waiting until Roxas had seated himself to grab his soda and hand the blond his slice of pizza. Roxas blinked down at his plate as Axel removed the lid from his soda and took a long swallow. "What the hell is this?" Roxas finally managed, jabbing a finger accusingly at his plate.

Axel's smile was razor-sharp as he regarded his own slice of pizza. "It's your lunch."

"It's _anchovies_."

Axel's eyes flashed across his for a moment before the redhead returned to the contemplation of his own food. "That it is."

"What the hell, Axel?" Roxas's hands closed into fists, and he forced them open again, laying his palms flat against the table. "What the hell makes you think I'd like anchovies?"

Axel sank back in his seat, arching an eyebrow at Roxas as he tapped one finger against the tabletop. "I asked you what you wanted," he reminded him mildly, lips twitching as he tried to suppress a smirk. Roxas scowled, hating the other man's smug expression.

"Yeah, but…" He trailed off, glaring at his slice of pizza as he realized he didn't have a leg to stand on in the argument.

He heard Axel sigh, and then the redhead was leaning forward, propping his elbows on the table and staring at Roxas. "Look, kid," he started, ignoring the way Roxas frowned at him, "I'm not a goddamn baby-sitter. If you want something, say so – I don't have the time or inclination to play twenty questions every time we stop to get something to eat, got it?" Roxas glanced away before he nodded, sinking down in his seat and crossing his arms disconsolately over his chest.

Axel stared at him for another moment before he sighed again and grabbed Roxas's plate. "Stupid kid," he muttered, shoving the slice of pepperoni at the blond. Roxas glanced up at him, expression wary, but Axel only rolled his eyes before taking a theatrical bite of anchovy pizza. Roxas felt his lips lift in a grudging smile as he picked up the slice of pepperoni.

Neither of them spoke again until they were leaving the restaurant; Roxas paused at the door while Axel dumped their trash in the receptacle, then shoved through it with a muttered, "Thanks." He heard the redhead laugh softly behind him, but he didn't look back.

Axel dug his pack of cigarettes out of his pocket before sliding behind the wheel. "You mind?" he asked, glancing over at Roxas as he tapped out a fresh one. Roxas shook his head, sinking down in his seat and propping his feet on the dashboard. "Good. Put on your seatbelt."

* * *

"So you gonna tell me about it?" 

Roxas blew his breath out in exasperation, his gaze flicking briefly to Axel before he returned his attention to the scenery flashing past his window. The redhead had abstained from conversation since leaving the pizzeria – Roxas had dared to hope the man genuinely didn't care about where he was going and why. "There's nothing to tell," he mumbled, resting his temple against the glass.

"Uh-huh." Axel took one last drag on his cigarette before he flicked it out the window. "Of course there isn't." Roxas scowled and reached for his headphones, but his CD player refused to come to life.

"Can we stop?"

Axel glanced at him as he blew out his last breath of smoke. "For what?"

"Batteries."

"No." Roxas whipped his head around to glare at Axel as the redhead rolled up his window.

"Why _not_?" he demanded.

"Because I just got back on the highway – I'm not getting off again already. You can deal with no music for a while, kid."

"Stop calling me that," Roxas growled, beating a fist against his thigh in frustration. "I'm not a damn kid."

"So you keep telling me," Axel said dryly. "Be serious, Roxas – what are you? All of seventeen?" Roxas glared out the window.

"Eighteen, thank you," he grumbled. Axel smirked.

"I stand by my assessment."

"Shut up."

To his surprise, Axel did, though Roxas caught that sharp smile flashing across the redhead's face from the corner of his eye. Grumbling under his breath, Roxas shifted in his seat until he was comfortable, then let his eyes fall closed again. He was just beginning to doze when Axel's voice roused him again.

"So where are you from? Am I allowed to ask that, at least?"

Roxas blinked as he straightened in his seat, trying to process the question. "What?"

Axel glanced at him for a moment before rolling his eyes and returning his attention to the road. "I _said_ where are you from?"

Roxas hesitated for a second, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. Axel glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, and Roxas frowned and glanced back out the window, one leg jittering against the dashboard. "Twilight Town."

Axel arched an eyebrow and gave a low whistle. "You made it all the way out here from Twilight Town?" He glanced over at Roxas, expression speculative. "Maybe you're not as hopeless as you look, kid."

"Thanks," Roxas muttered, crossing his arms over his chest.

"So why'd you leave?"

Roxas bit the inside of his cheek before letting his breath out in a silent sigh, shoulders slumping. "There was no reason to stay," he muttered. An image of his sister's eyes, huge with hurt and confusion, rose unbidden in his mind, and he curled into himself a little more tightly as he waited for it to fade.

"Uh-huh."

Roxas could feel Axel's eyes on him, and he forced steadiness back into his voice. "So where are _you_ from?"

"The town that never was." Roxas glanced over in bemusement to find Axel grinning at him.

"What the hell kind of answer is that?" he mumbled, resting his head back against the headrest. Axel shrugged, his grin widening as he returned his attention to the road.

"An honest one," he answered. "That's what it may as well have been called, anyway. You wouldn't know where the hell I was talking about if I _did_ tell you, so it doesn't really matter, does it?"

Roxas snorted, feeling a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "So what are you doing out here?"

Axel's eyes gleamed as he glanced at Roxas with a smug smirk. "Picking up strays on the side of the road." Roxas couldn't repress the grin that split his lips as he flipped the redhead the bird before rolling his head to stare at the carpeted ceiling.

"You're an ass, you know that?"

"You're shouldn't pour on the sweet nothings like that, Roxas," Axel said dryly. "One of these days you're really going to hurt my feelings."

"Right," Roxas muttered. Axel reached over and ruffled Roxas's hair, grinning when the blond glared at him and swatted his hand away.

"Stupid kid."

"Shut up."

* * *

"The Neptune Inn?" Roxas asked, raising an eyebrow at Axel as the redhead pulled the car into the parking lot. Axel rolled his eyes as he put the vehicle in park and pocketed his keys. 

"Like the Highwind was so much better," he shot back. Roxas mumbled under his breath as he grabbed his bag and shoved his door open. He trailed Axel to the office, shivering slightly in the cold air.

The counter was deserted, but a bell sat next to a small cardboard sign: "Please ring the bell for assistance. It is our pleasure to help you." Axel arched an eyebrow at the sign before his lips twisted up in a sardonic smile.

"What?" Roxas asked, drawing his fingers up inside his sleeves.

"Nothing," Axel muttered, smacking his hand down on the bell. "Bet you no one comes."

As if to contradict him, there was a clatter from the area behind the counter, and they both heard a muttered, "Okay, _okay_, I'm comin'." A man with broad forearms and a large potbelly ambled into view, his tie loose and his hair sticking up in two strange tufts above his ears. He regarded them sourly for a moment before his face split into a grin so large and artificial it made Roxas's cheeks hurt. "Hello there! What can I do for ya this fine evening?"

"We need a room," Axel said, his expression implacable.

"With two beds," Roxas hurriedly added. Axel's lips twitched, but the redhead remained mercifully silent.

"Sure, sure." The man – whom Roxas assumed to be the manager – took Axel's credit card and sidled over to his computer. "You guys only stayin' the one night?"

"Yeah," Axel replied, throwing an amused glance at Roxas.

"Okay, sure, nothin' wrong with that," the manager continued. His big head nodded continuously as he ran Axel's credit card number through his computer. Finally, apparently satisfied, he plucked a key card from beneath the desk and handed it over along with Axel's card. "You folks have any luggage with you?" he asked. Not waiting for an answer, he bellowed, "PJ!"

"We're fine," Axel interjected, clapping a hand to Roxas's shoulder and pulling the blond away from the counter.

"You sure?" the man called after them.

"Definitely," Axel muttered, pulling Roxas through the door. Roxas glanced up at him, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Not a word," Axel groused, grinning in spite of himself as he cuffed the blond across the back of the head.

They stopped at the car long enough to grab their bags and then proceeded to their room. Axel stepped inside, flipped the light on, and groaned. "Their interior decorator should be roasted alive," he grumbled, throwing his bag on the foot of the closest bed.

"Um."

Roxas blinked at the eclectic décor, shifting the strap of his duffle bag on his shoulder. Axel didn't look around as he shrugged out of his coat. "Not. A. Word out of you," he grumbled. "I _will_ leave you here." Roxas did a poor job of suppressing a snicker before moving into the room, pulling the door closed behind him.

"It's not that bad," he offered, moving past Axel and settling his bag on the other bed. Axel snorted, perching on the edge of the bed to untie his boots.

"It sucks," he said flatly. "It's changed hands since I was out here last."

Roxas glanced at him as he took off his own jacket, running a hand through his hair distractedly. "You've been here before?"

Axel grunted, tossing his boots into the corner before pulling his bag into his lap. "I've been all up and down this area." Green eyes flashed as he glanced at Roxas for a moment. "Never been out to Destiny Islands, though."

"Mm." All too aware of the speculative gleam in the redhead's eyes, Roxas made a show of rummaging around in his bag until he came out with a pair of pajama bottoms. "I'm gonna get changed and hit the sack – I'm beat." Axel's lips curved in a rueful smile as the blond turned away.

"Sure, Roxas."

Once he was safely in the bathroom, Roxas splashed cold water on his face, letting it drip from his chin and bangs as he stared at himself in the mirror. So what if Axel was curious. He was still moving. That was all that mattered.

"_There was no reason to stay."_

Roxas gripped the edge of the sink and ducked his head before he turned away from the mirror, grabbing the hand towel and scrubbing savagely at his face. He changed quickly before gathering his clothes into his arms and nudging the bathroom door open with his elbow.

Axel was sitting cross-legged on his bed when Roxas emerged from the bathroom. "You gonna tell me about it yet?" he asked mildly, tilting his head to the side.

"Bathroom's free," Roxas muttered, dumping his dirty clothes into a rough pile on top of his duffle bag. Axel stared at him for a moment before he glanced at the open bathroom door.

"So it is," he sighed, pushing himself up. Roxas steeled himself for the sound of the redhead slamming the door, but it only clicked softly as Axel closed it behind him. Roxas blew out a quiet breath and slid between the sheets, pulling them up to his chin and turning to face the wall. He heard rather than saw Axel emerge from the bathroom, but he waited until the redhead flipped the light off to speak.

"Night, Axel."

For a moment there was silence save for the whisper of the sheets as Axel climbed into bed; then the redhead chuckled tiredly. "Night, kid."

Roxas lay awake for a while, staring sightlessly at the wall and listening to the soft chirring of the crickets underneath the window. His mind churned, always coming back to the answer he'd given to Axel's question.

"_So why'd you leave?"_

"_There was no reason to stay."_

Roxas groaned softly and pulled the blankets over his head, turning his face into his pillow. With the thick comforter tucked around his head, the only sound he could hear was the beating of his own heart. Finally, his eyes slipped closed and his mind sank into oblivion.

* * *

Axel woke him the next morning by ripping the blankets away from him. Startled into a sitting position by the sudden absence of warmth, Roxas groaned and pressed his hands over his eyes before flopping back down onto his pillow. 

"It's too early," he grumbled, turning his face away from the morning light streaming through the open blinds.

"Good morning to you, too," Axel smirked, moving around the end of the bed and perching on the edge of his own mattress. "Time to get up, kid." Roxas groaned into his pillow in protest, but he pushed himself up, wiping the sleep from his eyes as he glared at the redhead. Axel only grinned at his expression – he was already dressed, his hair still damp from the shower. "Up."

Not bothering to try and suppress a giant yawn, Roxas swung his legs over the edge of the bed, propping his elbows on his knees and resting his head in his hands. "It's too early," he muttered petulantly. Across from him, Axel only sighed and leaned over to grab his bag.

"Come on, get moving," he ordered, tossing it at the blond. Roxas barely managed to grab it before it hit the floor again. He glared at the redhead, but Axel only arched an eyebrow at him and pointed at the bathroom.

"I hate you," Roxas mumbled, but he pushed himself up and staggered into the bathroom. He slammed the door on Axel's smug expression.

After a quick shower, Roxas poked his head back into the room to find Axel sitting in the exact same position. He rolled his eyes at the way Axel grinned at him before pushing himself up off the mattress.

"Okay," Axel stated, dragging a hand through his hair. "Time to go."

"What about breakfast?" Roxas objected, slinging his duffle bag over his shoulder. Axel shrugged, already moving toward the door.

"We'll get something on the road."

Axel unlocked the car before heading for the manager's office; Roxas threw his bag into the back before curling in his seat, making a point to buckle his seat belt with a sardonic smile before propping his feet on the dashboard. Axel emerged from the office and slid behind the wheel, glancing over at Roxas before digging his cigarettes out of his pocket.

"Gonna tell me about it yet?"

Roxas laughed tiredly and sank down in his seat, resting his temple against the car window. "No."

Axel grinned and settled a cigarette between his lips before he put the car in reverse. "Fine," he muttered, resting his hand against Roxas's headrest as he backed out of the parking space. "I've got time."

Roxas rolled his eyes at the redhead's sharp grin. "Awful confident, aren't you?" he muttered. Axel didn't answer, but his grin widened as they headed back toward the highway.


	3. Still Don't Even

(A/N): Aha. So. Been awhile. Again. Believe it or not, I am trying to stay on top of that. Sorry for the wait, and I hope you enjoy this chapter. And if you fave or alert, please take the time to leave a review. It's very much appreciated.

Disclaimer: _Non_.

Still Don't Even

"Hey."

Roxas's eyelids flickered as he woke up enough to become aware of the chill of the car window pressed against his temple. For a second the fact that the car was no longer moving wafted along the edge of his consciousness, but he found he didn't really care enough to investigate. He slumped a little farther down in his seat, one heel tapping against the dashboard in time to the music blaring from his headphones.

"Hey."

It couldn't be time for lunch already. They'd stopped for breakfast on the road and wound up eating it in the car – Axel had laughed at the way Roxas clutched at his door handle the entire time the redhead ate with one hand and drove with the other. "Relax, kid," he'd drawled, that annoying smirk plastered all over his face. "I know what I'm doing."

"_Hey_."

Suddenly Roxas's headphones were jerked away from him, one of the wires tangling painfully around the back of his left ear. "Ow! Axel, what the hell!" He sat up, fully awake now, and turned to glare at the other man. Axel held his headphones out with one finger, swinging them back and forth as he stared at the blond. "What the hell was that for?" Roxas demanded, rubbing his sore ear.

"I was _trying_ to talk to you," Axel said mildly, expression implacable.

"You almost ripped my ear off!"

"You shouldn't have the volume turned up so loud," Axel chided, ignoring Roxas's outburst. "It's bad for your hearing, y'know." Roxas growled in frustration and tried to grab the headphones back from the redhead, but Axel easily swung them out of reach. "I'm still talking here, kid."

"_What_?"

Axel blew out his breath in a harsh sigh before tossing the headphones back at the blond. "I just wanted to know if you were thirsty. Forget it." Without waiting for a response he shoved his door open and pushed himself out of the car, stepping around the gas pump they were parked next to.

Roxas clumsily caught the headphones in one hand and blinked at the space the redhead had so recently filled. "What the hell?" he demanded of the empty air, watching Axel stalk toward the convenience store. He carefully slid his headphones and CD player back into his duffle bag before following Axel out of the car. "Hey! Hey, Axel!" If Axel heard him, he ignored him. Roxas tore his hands through his hair and glared at the redhead's back, ignoring the curious looks he was drawing from a few of the other customers filling their tanks at the sprawling pumps. Finally, with a muttered curse, he took off after the redhead.

He caught him just inside the door. He'd already opened his mouth to start yelling at the man when Axel glanced over his shoulder at him. The expression on the redhead's face made him close his mouth again. Axel turned away from him again, moving toward the soda machines. "Your social skills leave a lot to be desired, you know that, kid?" he asked, tone neutral.

Roxas sighed and frowned at his shoes as he trailed behind the other man. "Sorry," he mumbled.

"What?"

"Sorry," Roxas repeated, glaring at the floor. Axel paused so suddenly Roxas almost crashed into him, and he stepped back with a scowl. The redhead was staring down at him, head cocked and arms crossed over his chest. "I'm sorry, okay?" Roxas grumbled, jamming his hands into his pockets.

Axel stared at him for another second before he shook his head. "You're a weird kid, you know that?" he muttered, turning away from the blond again. Roxas's shoulders had already begun to slump when Axel's hand darted out and mussed his hair. The redhead only laughed when Roxas glared at him and ran his fingers through his hair, trying to make it lie flat.

"Stop doing that," Roxas groused, huffing at the man's self-satisfied expression.

Axel shrugged. "Couldn't help it," he replied, eyes glinting. "Besides," he continued, grabbing a large cup from the soda machine, "you deserved that one." Roxas glared at him before he glanced away.

"Whatever."

"Do you have any other response in your vocabulary?" Axel inquired, pressing the nozzle for the Coke.

"Please stop talking."

Axel laughed as he fixed a plastic lid onto his cup and grabbed a straw. "Okay, that _is_ different," he admitted, heading for the counter. "If you want a soda, hurry up and get it." Roxas glanced at the soda machine before following Axel to the counter. The redhead only rolled his eyes at him before digging his money out of his pocket.

"So that's it?" Roxas asked as he trailed Axel back out into the parking lot.

"What's it?"

"You're just…_over_ me –"

"Being a dick?" Axel supplied helpfully, grinning over his shoulder at the blond. "_Please_, Roxas. I don't scare that easy." Roxas shook his head and hurried after him.

Back in the car, he pulled his CD player and headphones out from his duffle bag, flushing slightly when he caught Axel staring fixedly at them. "I'll keep it down," he mumbled, scowling at the redhead. The corner of Axel's lips twitched as he pulled away from the pump.

"Okay."

Axel left him to himself for the next few hours, though Roxas occasionally caught the man glancing at him out of the corner of his eye. The road rolled endlessly underneath them, and Roxas found it a real effort to keep the tiny, rhythmic vibrations of the vehicle from lulling him back into dozing.

They had lunch in the car, but they ate it in the restaurant's parking lot at Roxas's insistence. Axel let him retreat back to his music as they pulled back onto the highway, and Roxas satisfied himself with staring out the window at the unchanging landscape. Axel tried to start a conversation once or twice, but Roxas's monosyllabic answers and general unresponsiveness quickly killed the attempts.

Finally, they pulled off the highway to have dinner in another equally anonymous and sub-par diner. Axel waited until they were both waiting on their meals – or meal, as Axel had opted for a simple cup of lukewarm coffee – to broach a now-familiar subject. "You gonna tell me about it?" Roxas groaned and propped his head in his hands. "You know, it'd be simpler if you'd just answer the question," Axel pointed out, eyes glinting.

"I just had to leave, okay?" Roxas mumbled, massaging his temples. "Why do you care so much, anyway?" Axel shrugged.

"Mostly because you keep dodging the damn question," he replied, a sharp grin flashing across his face when Roxas glanced up at him.

"Mostly because it's none of your damn business," Roxas shot back, scowling. Axel's eyes widened dramatically as he clapped a hand to his chest.

"That hurts, Rox," he said, his manner so melodramatically wounded that Roxas couldn't help the grudging smile that snuck across his face.

"I'm sure it does, Axel," he snorted, stirring his soda with his straw. "So what about you?"

"What about me?" Axel asked.

"What were you doing out on the road that late?"

Axel shrugged. "Driving." Roxas rolled his eyes as cupped his chin in his hand.

"That's not an answer."

"But it _is_ what I was doing," Axel returned. "Which is more of an answer than you've given me."

"God, you don't quit, do you?" Roxas muttered, flicking a stray crumb off the table. He fell silent, trying to pretend he couldn't feel the redhead watching him. He lasted about a minute before he sighed and looked up to meet the other man's gaze. "It just got to be too much, all right? I couldn't do it anymore, and I left. Okay?"

Axel stared at him pensively, head cocked to one side. "Yeah, okay," he sighed, sitting back and crossing his arms over his chest as the waitress brought Roxas's order over. "For now," he added, arching an eyebrow at the blond. He only laughed when Roxas scowled at him.

"I hate you," Roxas grumbled, poking savagely at his food.

"So you've said," Axel said dryly, hooking an ashtray with his index finger and dragging it across the table.

"That's bad for you, you know," Roxas muttered vindictively as the redhead lit a cigarette. Axel rolled his eyes and blew smoke at him.

"Gonna die anyway, kid."

"Quit calling me that!"

Axel only smirked at him, tapping the ash from his cigarette into the ashtray. Roxas frowned at him and turned his attention to his food, trying to ignore the other man. Axel smiled, a sly sort of expression that made Roxas's stomach sink, but the redhead waited until Roxas had gotten through most of his meal before speaking again. "So what's in Destiny Islands?"

"What?"

"Destiny Islands," Axel prompted, bringing the cigarette back to his lips. "I figure if I'm not allowed to ask about where you're from the _least_ you can do is tell me about where you're going. Seeing as I'm the guy driving you and all."

Roxas blew his breath out in aggravation as he shoved his plate away and settled back in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest. "I've got family there," he hedged. Axel shook his head, expression unusually serious.

"Gotta do better than that, Roxas."

Roxas groaned and thumped his head against the hard plastic booth. "He's my cousin, second cousin, something like that," he grumbled. He sighed when Axel arched an eyebrow at him. "I don't really know, okay? It's sort of complicated. I just know we're related on my mom's side of the family."

"And?"

"And nothing. That's it."

"That's it?"

"Yeah, that's _it_," Roxas ground out, glaring at the other man. Axel stared at him for another minute before he sighed heavily and stubbed his cigarette out.

"That's not even a _plan_," he snorted.

"What do you care?" Roxas asked, stung. Axel's lips thinned before he shrugged and glanced out the window.

"Fine, be like that," he said, tone artificially light. The silence that followed was almost suffocating. Roxas sank down in his seat, trying to look anywhere but at the man sitting across the table from him. Finally, Axel sighed and signaled for the check. "Forget it, kid. Wasn't my business anyway."

Roxas mumbled under his breath and pushed his hair out of his face, still avoiding the redhead's gaze. It _hadn't_ been any of his business, but Roxas's stomach was still twisted in painful knots. "Whatever," he finally got out, shoving himself out of the booth and stalking toward the door.

His face was burning by the time he reached the car, and he rubbed one hand across his forehead as he leaned against his door, trying to quiet the blood pounding in his temples. He _knew_ it wasn't much of a plan, but it was the only plan he had. "Shit, shit, _shit_," he hissed.

"You okay?"

Roxas looked up to find Axel standing just outside the diner's door and watching him, expression carefully blank.

"I have money," he said abruptly, glaring at the redhead. Axel blinked at him, a small crease appearing between his eyebrows.

"What?"

"I have money," Roxas repeated, voice low. "I wasn't just gonna show up on his doorstep and expect him to take care of me, you know. I'm not that _stupid_ –" He broke off, his stomach muscles tightening to the point of pain.

Something in Axel's eyes softened slightly before he shrugged and raised his hands, palms out. "I never said you were, Roxas."

Roxas glared at him for another second before all the tension went out of his body at once; slouching against the car, he massaged his temples with one hand, partly because they hurt and partly because he didn't want to look at Axel any more. "Fine."

"You gonna be okay?"

Roxas looked up to find Axel watching him with what seemed to be genuine concern written across his features. He shied away from the redhead's gaze, scowling and crossing his arms over his chest. "Yeah."

From the expression on Axel's face, he didn't believe that, but he let it go. "All right." He glanced around the parking lot, shoving his hands into his pockets. "So…nice night."

Roxas snorted, feeling the edges of his lips trying to tug up into a grin. "It's _freezing_, Axel."

"Well, yeah, there is that," Axel acknowledged, wrinkling his nose in distaste as a stiff breeze started up. "But it could always be worse." He glanced at Roxas out of the corner of his eye, a sharp grin splitting his face. "It could be my _heater_ that's broken." He laughed when Roxas shivered involuntarily, reaching out to ruffle the blond's hair. "Get in the car, moron."

* * *

They only drove for another hour before Axel picked a hotel and pulled into the lot. "Blue Lagoon?" Roxas asked, pausing his music. Axel glanced at him.

"Yeah. So?"

Roxas shrugged, a tentative grin working its way across his face. "Just figured after the Neptune Inn you'd want to avoid water themes," he offered, laughing when Axel quirked an eyebrow at him.

"I _can_ just leave you here, you know," he grumbled good-naturedly, pushing himself out of the car. "Be right back." Roxas watched the redhead disappear into the manager's office silently, tugging his headphones off with a sigh and carefully lowering his feet from the dashboard, wincing at the crick in his back.

He jumped when Axel rapped his knuckles against his window, turning and scowling at the other man. He was surprised when Axel didn't react, only opened the back door to grab his bag. "Let's go, kid."

"Stop calling me that," Roxas said automatically, but Axel was already moving away from the car. Roxas took a deep breath before grabbing his own bag and following him.

Axel left the door standing open for him; when Roxas entered the room he found Axel standing over his bag, which he'd set on one of the single beds. Roxas walked around him to dump his own bag on the other bed, pausing when he noticed the distracted manner in which Axel was running his fingers through his mane of hair. "What?"

Axel glanced at him briefly before he sighed and lowered himself to sit on the edge of the mattress. "We've got a problem," he said, tilting his head back to stare at the ceiling. "This next town we're gonna stop in – I've gotta stay for a few days. Maybe a week."

"What?" Roxas's fingers tightened around the strap of his duffle bag. "_Why_?"

Axel shrugged and pulled a hand over his face tiredly. " Well for one thing, I've got this thing called a budget." He glanced at Roxas, the ghost of a smile flitting across his face. "And you're kinda breaking it." Roxas stared back at him for a moment before comprehension took root and he flushed deeply. He opened his mouth, not sure what to say but certain he had to say _something_, but Axel overrode him. "I just maxed out my credit card." He seemed about to say something else, then shrugged again and closed his mouth.

Roxas stared at him, blurting out the first thing that popped into his head. "But you said you'd take me to Destiny Islands!" he protested, flush deepening as soon as the words were out of his mouth. Axel sighed and propped his elbows on his knees.

"I _am_ taking you to Destiny Islands," he said, and his patient tone rankled Roxas for some reason. "This is just a pit stop, okay?" He sighed again when Roxas simply continued to stare at him. "Look kid, I know people in this area, all right? It'll be fine. And if you need to get there sooner than that, I can just drop you at a bus station along the way. You've still got some money on you, right?"

"But…" Roxas trailed off, glaring unhappily at the man. "Why didn't you _say_ anything?" he finally demanded, flopping down onto his own mattress. Axel shrugged.

"If it's that much of a problem, get a bus," he said, voice flat.

"I don't want a damn bus, Axel!" Roxas burst out, then immediately bit his lip. "Shit." He dropped his head into his hands, threading his fingers through his hair. "I'm sorry. Just…I have money, okay? I meant that when I said it. I can pay for the food and the hotels and whatever else, so…" Axel fixed him with a long, measuring look. Roxas tilted his head to stare back silently for a few moments before taking a deep breath. "I don't want a bus."

Something flashed just beneath Axel's eyes before he ducked his head and sighed. "All right. Have it your way, Roxas."

"Okay," Roxas muttered, wincing and shifting self-consciously. "Thanks."

"Yeah," Axel grunted, flopping back onto the mattress. "Hell of a day," he mumbled, carding his fingers through his hair. There was a short silence as Axel stared absently at the ceiling.

"Why didn't you say anything, Axel?" Roxas finally asked, dragging his duffle bag into his lap and rummaging around for nothing in particular. Axel cut his eyes over to the blond briefly before shrugging.

"Thought I had enough to get out there," he sighed. "I'm usually better about keeping track of things like that."

"Oh." Roxas winced again and scowled down into his bag. That had been a completely nonsensical thing to say, but he couldn't think of anything else. The silence dragged on, loud and ugly in Roxas's ears. "I'm gonna take a shower," he finally muttered, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

"You do that," Axel said, voice sounding far away as he continued to stare at the ceiling.

Roxas paused at the bathroom door, staring at the redhead sprawled on his back. "Axel?" Axel hummed in the back of his throat and shifted his head to look at the blond. "Would it be easier if I just got a bus?"

Axel's smile was razor-sharp. "Getting tired of me already, kid?"

"No!" Roxas flushed and glared at the redhead. "I just meant –"

"I know what you meant," Axel scoffed, waving a hand dismissively in the air. "It wouldn't change the fact that I'm broke." His hand fell back to his chest, and he turned his attention back to the ceiling. "You don't have to do me any favors, Roxas." He peered at the blond out of his corner of his eye. "Unless you wanna take a bus?"

Roxas frowned at him. "I said I didn't."

"Then don't say stupid shit like that. Don't go all noble on me now, Roxas – I don't think I could take it."

"You're an ass," Roxas grumbled, turning away from the redhead.

"That's more like it," Axel smirked. Roxas closed the door on the man's smug face and rested his hands on the counter, thankful Axel couldn't see the smile that spread across his lips.

* * *

Axel was already underneath the covers when Roxas emerged from the bathroom, hair still damp and duffle bag clasped in one hand. Roxas shook his head at what he could see of the man – namely a messy collection of red spikes peeking out from one corner of the blankets – and flicked the light off before making his way over to his own bed. Stashing his bag at the foot of his bed, he crawled underneath the covers and leaned back against the headboard.

Pulling his knees up against his chest, Roxas tilted his head back and listened to the whine of trucks passing on the highway and the faint buzzing of the motel's neon sign. He spoke before he was aware he'd been planning to. "Hey, Axel." There was no response from the redhead, and Roxas turned his head in the dark to look at where he thought the man's bed must be. "Are you awake?"

There was another brief silence, and then Axel's drowsy voice sounded out of the darkness. "Depends. What?"

Roxas hesitated, biting down on the inside of his cheek before blowing his breath out in a gentle sigh. "Thanks."

"What?"

"I just…I never said thanks. For what you're doing." Roxas ducked his head before sliding down under the covers and turning to face the wall. "So thanks."

There was a tired chuckle from the redhead. "You really are a weird kid, you know that?" he asked. He paused before he sighed, and Roxas thought he heard him turn over. "Go to sleep, Roxas. It's been a long day."


	4. Sometimes Wanna

(A/N): Wow, I think this is a record for this fic regarding lag between updates. Huzzah. Not to much say, except that this is probably the exception, rather than the rule. Sorry. This thing is already spanning a greater number of chapters in terms of development than I initially thought it would. Thanks for hanging on for the ride, guys. Reviews are always appreciated.

Disclaimer: It's downright exhausting trying to find so many different ways to say I don't own any of this.

Sometimes Wanna

Roxas groaned as he was shaken out of sleep by someone's hand on his shoulder. "Go away, Namine," he grumbled, pulling away from the clutching fingers. "Just gimme five more minutes, all right?"

"Who's Namine?"

Roxas's eyes snapped open and he flipped over to find Axel standing over him, head cocked quizzically. "What?"

"Who's Namine?" Axel repeated, pulling his hand back. Roxas flinched away from the man's gaze and stared at the wall, mouth dry. Axel regarded him silently for a moment before he shrugged and turned away. "All right, Roxas. Be like that." He circled the foot of the bed, pulling a hand through his hair tiredly. "We gotta go, kid. Get up."

Roxas nodded mutely and slipped out from underneath the covers, suppressing a yawn and brushing his bangs out of his face. "What time is it?"

Axel glanced at his watch as he shrugged into his jacket. "Quarter of nine."

"What?" Annoyance began to seep into Roxas's sleep-addled brain. "Why so damn early?" he demanded, giving up the fight and surrendering to a wide yawn as he reached for his bag. Axel's expression was unreadable as he glanced at the blond.

"I'm hungry."

Roxas's cheeks flamed under the redhead's impenetrable gaze. "Oh." Axel's lips twitched slightly at his expression.

"Yeah." Grabbing up his bag, he headed for the door. "Get the lead out, kid. I'll be in the car."

Roxas groaned and flopped back down on his mattress once the door closed behind Axel. "Shit," he whispered, pressing the heels of his palms to his temples. "Smooth, Roxas. Really fucking smooth." His face burned as he remembered the single cup of coffee Axel had had for dinner the night before. "Shit," he hissed again for good measure before pushing himself up and off the bed. Pulling clothes out of his bag and throwing them on haphazardly – he'd mainly packed an assortment of jeans and hoodies, anyway – he raked his fingers through his hair in a mostly futile effort to dispel his bed head before slinging his duffle bag over his shoulder and bolting for the door.

Axel was throwing his own bag into the back seat when Roxas burst through the door. The redhead glanced up at him, frowning for a second before he grinned. "I didn't mean you had to move _that_ fast," he chided, eyes glinting.

Roxas shivered in the cold air and scowled. "Shut up," he mumbled, heading for the passenger side door. Axel's grin only widened, and Roxas dropped into his seat with a groan. "Let's just go already."

Axel remained standing beside the car for a moment longer before he shrugged and lowered himself into his seat. "Whatever you say, Rox." Roxas grumbled under his breath and propped his feet on the dashboard as Axel backed out of the parking space. "You sure you're okay with this?"

"What?"

"_This_," Axel emphasized, waving his hand in a vague circle as he pulled out of the parking lot. "Paying for everything."

Roxas nodded and slouched down a little farther in his seat. "It's fine," he muttered. Axel glanced at him, and Roxas had to look away from the speculative gleam in the redhead's eyes.

"Really?"

"Yeah, _really_." Axel kept his eyes on him until Roxas began to fear the car would run off the road. Finally, he turned his face forward again.

"Okay."

Roxas thumped his head back against the headrest with a sigh before reaching for his headphones. "Don't bother with those," Axel advised. Roxas glanced at him with growing exasperation as he paused in the act of settling them over his head.

"Um, _why_?"

Axel glanced at him with a small smirk. "Breakfast," he said, turning into a rundown diner's parking lot. Roxas's stomach growled, and he stuffed his headphones back into his bag with a sheepish grin.

"Oh. Okay."

Axel parked and they grabbed a corner booth that smelled of stale smoke and old grease. Axel dug his pack of cigarettes out of his pocket while the waitress took down their order, frowning down at it as she turned away with a promise that she'd return with their drinks shortly. "What's wrong?" Roxas asked, noticing his expression.

"I'm outta cigarettes," Axel grumbled, crumpling the pack in his hand and shoving it back in his pocket.

"Sorry?" Roxas hazarded.

Axel shrugged, settling his elbows on the table. "I'll grab another pack when we stop for gas."

"Oh," Roxas muttered, staring at the table. Gas. His stomach sank as he tried to remember how many times a day he'd had to pause at gas stations to refuel. Surely Axel's car had to get better mileage than his rusted pile of junk. Axel smiled thinly at his expression.

"I can still just drop you off somewhere," he reminded him. He jerked a thumb over his left shoulder. "Bus station's half a mile that way."

Roxas scowled, irritated at how easily Axel had been able to follow his thoughts. "I _said_ it's fine," he growled, glaring at the other man. Axel's smile spread as he shrugged and leaned back in his seat.

"Suit yourself, kid."

Roxas grumbled under his breath and shifted in his seat, turning to stare out the window and waiting for the barrage of questions concerning where he was from, where he was going, and why. Across from him, Axel only shook his head and turned his attention elsewhere, gaze skimming the line of people seated at the counter. The waitress returned with their drinks, and Roxas drummed his fingers against his coffee cup to try and fill the silence.

"So where are we going?" he finally asked. Axel's eyes met his briefly before he shrugged and turned his attention back to the counter.

"A place I know," he said vaguely, taking a long drink from his own coffee cup. Roxas's brows began to draw together in the beginning of a frown, but Axel held up a hand. "Roxas, I am starving and minus nicotine. Not now."

Roxas scowled down at the table, but he fell back into a grudging silence. Axel's leg jittered under the table, his heel tapping a staccato rhythm against the plastic base of the booth. The clink of silverware and the low hum of the other customers' conversations swirled around them, but Axel didn't speak again until the waitress reappeared with their food.

The redhead's eyes lit up as his plate was set before him, and something in Roxas's stomach tightened at the expression. With a mumbled thanks at the waitress's retreating back, Axel fell on the food ravenously, not looking up from his plate until it was almost empty. Finally, he sat back with a heavy sigh, grinning as he set his silverware on the plate with a clatter. "That hit the spot. Thanks, kid."

Roxas gave a barely perceptible nod and glanced back out the window. Axel shook his head at him and reached for his cigarettes, groaning when he remembered he was out. "C'mon Roxas, pick up the pace. We got a ways to go today." Roxas cut his eyes back to the redhead's face, frowning.

"Where are we going?"

Axel blew his breath out in aggravation. "Radiant Garden."

Roxas's stomach clenched violently. Trying to keep his expression blank, he turned to fully face the redhead again. "Why so far?" he asked, striving to keep his voice level. Radiant Garden was only a two-day drive from Destiny Islands.

"Because I need money," Axel grumbled. "And it's the best place around here to make it."

"Because you know people around here."

Axel's grin was entirely without humor. "Yeah."

"I thought you'd never been out to Destiny Islands," Roxas challenged, hands curling into fists under the table.

"It's not Destiny Islands, kid," Axel sighed. "I've never been farther than Radiant Garden." Roxas dropped his eyes back to his plate before he shrugged.

"Okay."

Axel blinked at him. "Okay, what?"

Roxas shrugged again and signaled for the check. "Let's go, then."

Axel fixed him with a long, hard look before he wiped a hand over his face and slumped over the table. "I need a cigarette," he muttered, resting his forehead in his hands.

"What?"

Axel glanced up, his eyes flashing across Roxas's for a second before he turned his attention back to the table, a small smirk stretching his lips. "I need a cigarette," he repeated with a wry chuckle. Roxas only stared at him, waiting for further clarification that didn't come. When the waitress returned with their check and tired sounding lip service about having a nice day, Axel only pushed himself up and out of the booth, reaching out and ruffling Roxas's hair with a muttered "stupid kid" as he headed for the register.

Axel was drumming his fingers against the glass dessert case next to the register when Roxas caught up to him. The woman behind the register shot a disapproving look at the redhead, but Axel either didn't notice or chose to ignore it. Roxas had to fight down a brief but intense impulse to laugh; biting down on the inside of his cheek, he handed the check over and dug his wallet out of his pocket. "Debit, please."

Axel's drumming abruptly ceased, and when Roxas glanced to the side he found the redhead watching him with that speculative gleam in his eyes that made Roxas's stomach sink. Rattled, he added a ridiculously exorbitant tip to the bill and scrawled his name at the bottom, stuffing his copy into his wallet and turning away from the redhead.

Axel trailed him out of the diner, expression still thoughtful, but he remained silent as they got back in the car and left the parking lot behind. Roxas curled in his seat and slipped his headphones over his head, grateful that the redhead didn't seem to want to talk.

It seemed they'd only gotten on the highway when Axel got back off again, pulling into a sprawling gas station and parking next to one of the pumps. Roxas glanced over at him in silent question and Axel pantomimed removing the headphones from his ears, rolling his eyes and grinning when Roxas frowned at him. "What?" Roxas asked, dropping his headphones on top of his bag and straightening in his seat.

"You're paying, remember?" Axel asked dryly. Without waiting for an answer he pushed himself out of the car, flicking open the fuel door and unscrewing the gas cap from the side of the car. Roxas followed him slowly, stuffing his hands into his jacket pockets and glaring over the top of the car at the other man. "You sure you got enough money for this?" Axel asked, keeping his eyes on the numbers clicking over on the pump. Roxas frowned at the back of his head.

"Yes."

Axel glanced back at him, expression unreadable. "With only a debit card? Really?"

"_Yes_." Roxas bristled at the redhead's tone, hands tightening into fists in his pockets. "Look, it's my money, okay?"

The ghost of a smirk flitted across Axel's face before he turned his face away again. "All right, Roxas."

"Fine," Roxas muttered, turning and glowering at the car at the next pump. Axel remained silent as he set the gas pump back in the cradle, only glancing over his shoulder to make sure Roxas was following him before heading in to pay. Roxas waited while the redhead asked for a pack of cigarettes, then slapped his debit card on the counter. Axel rolled his eyes and made a show of looking elsewhere, already tearing at the cellophane of the new pack of cigarettes, until Roxas got his receipt.

Roxas trailed Axel back out to the car, frowning at the redhead when he settled a cigarette between his lips. "You can't light that next to the pumps," he objected. Axel glanced back at him with an expression caught somewhere between amusement and exasperation before opening his door.

"Thank you, mom."

Axel made a point of waiting until they were a block from the gas station to light his cigarette. "Is your current level of pissiness in any way a reflection of how the rest of the day's going to be?" he asked, opening his window a crack.

"_What_?"

"You. Being a dick. You gonna be like this all day?" Axel asked patiently, flicking the ash from his cigarette out the window.

Roxas bit back the scathing answer that automatically rose to his tongue; slouching down in his seat, he glared out the window and muttered, "Sorry."

"Yeah, yeah."

Roxas rested his temple against the window, the glass cool against his heated skin as he let his eyes slide closed. "It's my college fund, okay?"

He sensed rather than saw the redhead turn his head to look at him. "What?"

"The money. I worked for some of it, but most of it was supposed to be for my college fund. I transferred it out of the trust fund as soon as I turned eighteen." He opened his eyes to find Axel staring at him, and his lips curved in a shallow smile. "It's my money, Axel." Axel shook his head and muttered something under his breath, bringing the cigarette back to his lips. Roxas watched him for another moment before he turned back to face the window. "What, you're not gonna tell me how I'm screwing up my life?"

"None of my business, is it?" Axel replied, flicking his cigarette out the window. Roxas internally flinched at his dismissive tone, resting his forehead back against the glass as he wondered sourly why it should bother him. "Besides," Axel continued, rolling up his window, "I'm not the guy to go by. I split right after high school."

Roxas peered at him out the corner of his eye; Axel noticed him looking and grinned. Roxas rolled his eyes and turned his gaze away again, but he couldn't help asking. "Why?"

"You want the quick and ugly version? My parents and I loved to hate each other, and I left before they could throw me out."

"Ah jeez, Axel, I'm sorry," Roxas muttered. Axel only shrugged.

"Don't be."

There was a short silence. Roxas fingered his headphones and stared out at the dull scenery flashing past, trying to keep his eyelids from growing too heavy. "So what did you do after you left?" he asked at last, voice sounding fuzzy in his own ears.

"You're lookin' at it," Axel answered, taking a hand off the wheel to make a quick sweeping gesture around the car.

"Why?"

Axel's bitter smile made something in Roxas's chest tighten. "Because there's nowhere and no one worth stopping for, kid."

* * *

Roxas woke with a start, wincing as his muscles began to un-cramp from the hunched position he'd fallen asleep in. The weak light had bled out of the sky, and Axel was little more than a green-splashed shadow in the driver's seat. "Where are we?" he mumbled, swiping his bangs out of his eyes.

Axel's eyes glinted in the backwash of the headlights as he glanced over at him. "About forty miles outside Radiant Garden." His voice took on a tone that Roxas couldn't quite pin down. "You really do sleep too much, kid."

"What time is it?" Roxas asked, stifling a yawn.

"Almost seven."

Ignoring the ache in his back, Roxas straightened in his seat. "What about lunch?"

"I couldn't wake you up. Skipped it."

"Shit." Roxas was grateful the dark helped hide the warmth that flooded his face. "I'm sorry."

"Yeah. I'll live."

Roxas's stomach growled and he sank back down in his seat, sure his face was going to burst into flame at any moment. Axel didn't say anything, but Roxas caught the way the man's lips curved from the corner of his eye.

Axel got off the highway at the next exit, and Roxas paid for a trip through the drive-through at the first burger joint they came across. Axel brushed aside the blond's insistence that they should eat in the parking lot, pointing out through a mouthful of cheeseburger that they were almost there and he was tired. Roxas resigned himself to eating with one hand and clinging to the car door with the other until Axel had finished his meal.

Another twenty minutes brought them to the city limits. A cheerily painted _Radiant Garden Welcomes You_! sign flashed past in a blur of streetlights and Roxas reached for his bag, pulling it into his lap and staring patiently out the window. Axel bent his head low over the steering wheel, double-checking street signs as his cigarette burned low between his fingers.

Finally they pulled into a lot and parked. "Do you have this subconscious thing with water?" Roxas asked, eyeing the neon _Lake Shore_ sign. Only half of the letters actually lit up; the rest guttered feebly. Axel huffed at him as he tossed what remained of his cigarette out the window.

"I'm _trying_ to save you money here, kid. We could always stay at the damn Tipton."

"Uh-huh," Roxas mumbled, already getting out of the car and slinging his bag over his shoulder. Axel shook his head and unfolded himself from his own seat, placing his hands against the small of his back and stretching until something popped. Sighing in relief, he bent and retrieved his own bag from the back seat before closing his door and heading for the office. He glanced back over his shoulder when Roxas didn't follow.

"Uh, are you coming?"

Roxas shook his head as he dug his card out of his wallet. "Just…just gimme a sec, okay? My PIN's 0813." Axel turned back to face him, something shifting just below the surface of his eyes.

"That was a stupid thing to do, Roxas."

Roxas shrugged, smiling thinly. "Probably." They stared at each other for a long moment before Axel finally took the proffered card and turned away, handling it like he expected it to burn him at any moment.

Roxas hung back, leaning against the car and stuffing his hands in his pockets. He blew his breath out in deliberate puffs, idly watching it curl up and away from him in the icy air. He was almost there. Only a two-day drive between himself and Destiny Islands. Just the thought twisted his stomach into greasy knots.

A shout of laughter drew his attention to the main office, where Axel was emerging with something in his hands. Calling something back over his shoulder, Axel let the door fall closed behind him and headed back to where Roxas was standing, grinning widely. He paused in front of the blond, shoving something with sharp corners into his chest so that Roxas's arms came up around it automatically. "What's this?" Roxas demanded, frowning down at the case of beer.

"Room-warming gift," Axel replied, already moving past him. He glanced over his shoulder, smirking at Roxas's expression. "I told you I know people around here." Roxas concentrated on trying to keep a grip on the case of beer as he followed the redhead to their room, doing his best to resist the urge to bean him with one of the beer bottles. "Okay," Axel sighed, unlocking a door with a dull brass number eight inlaid in it. "Home sweet home. For the next few days, at least."

Roxas squeezed past him and dropped the box on the nearest flat surface, stretching his arms over his head and shooting the redhead a dirty look. Axel ignored him, closing the door and tossing his bag into the far corner. "Okay," he repeated, raking a hand through his hair as he surveyed the small room. "Oh," he muttered, almost to himself as he dug in his pocket for something. "Here's your card."

Roxas's fingertips grazed Axel's as he took the card, and he stuffed it into his wallet with a muttered "Thanks."

"That really was stupid, kid."

"I know."

Axel stared at him for another moment, expression flat and unreadable, before he turned away with a sigh. "Sure you do."

Roxas's throat crowded with things to say, but none of them seemed like the _right_ thing to say. "Whatever," he mumbled, moving past Axel and toward the tiny bathroom. For a second he thought Axel might try to stop him, but the redhead let him pass. With the barrier of the thin door between them, he concentrated fiercely on thinking about nothing at all as he let the water beat against his skull, reaching out and resting his palms on the cracked tiles.

Axel was already in bed when Roxas exited the bathroom. Roxas simply stood and stared at the lump underneath the covers for a moment, flicking damp bangs out of his eyes and biting unconsciously at his lower lip. Axel was right – he shouldn't have given the redhead his PIN. He couldn't even remember why he'd thought it had seemed like a good idea.

Frowning, he dropped his dirty clothes at the foot of his mattress and slid between the sheets, turning off the small bedside lamp Axel had left burning before turning and facing the wall. He was almost asleep when Axel's voice sounded out of the darkness.

"Night, kid."

Roxas couldn't help the way his shoulders relaxed. "Yeah. Night, Axel."


	5. The Place Where You

(A/N): So somehow a friend and I got into a discussion of story "soundtracks," and it got stuck in my head. I went back and went through all the songs I've worked to on this fic, and I've got like, a dozen songs for only five chapters. I didn't realize I was that bad. There wasn't much point to that ramble, I guess. As always, hope you enjoy the chapter.

Disclaimer: Insert witty disclaimer here.

The Place Where You

Axel was gone when Roxas woke up the next morning. For a second Roxas only blinked at the rumpled sheets, then the shock of realization sent him bolting upright, flinging the covers away from him and scrambling to his feet. Axel's bag was missing from the corner he'd thrown it in last night, and something in Roxas's chest twisted painfully. "Son of a _bitch_!"

Strong daylight was streaming through the half-open vertical blinds, and shadows rippled across Roxas's face as he dragged the hoodie he'd worn yesterday over his head and fumbled his feet into his sneakers. "God…_damn_ it!" he hissed, giving up on tying the laces and shoving them down inside the shoes.

The door rebounded against the wall as he yanked it open, but he was forced to pause just outside the threshold, squinting against the late-morning light. Holding up a hand to shield his eyes from the sun, he blinked to clear his vision, then stared. Axel's car was exactly where he'd left it the night before.

He approached it hesitantly, heart thudding in his chest. It was definitely Axel's car – the trash from the drive-through was still littered across the back seat and floor and there was an empty pack of cigarettes resting on the dashboard. His gaze settled on a small scrap of paper stuck under one of the windshield wipers; Roxas picked it up with numb fingers and unfolded a note written in Axel's distinctive scrawl.

_Hey, kid. That's why you don't give your PIN out – it leads to mornings like this. I'll be back tonight. Do me a favor, will ya? Take all the dirty clothes and shit and hit a laundromat. Thanks._

The tightness in his chest constricted and then abruptly dissipated, and Roxas slumped against the car door, wiping one hand tiredly over his eyes. "Shit, Axel," he whispered, a helpless smile stretching his lips wide. He laughed weakly and thumped his forehead gently against the car's roof. "God damn it." He stared at the note for another moment before he shoved it in his pocket and turned back toward the room.

The door handle wouldn't budge. Roxas blinked down at it before he groaned and rested his forehead against the doorway. He didn't bother checking his pockets; he knew he didn't have the key on him. "I hate you," he muttered, both at the door and the absent Axel. He jiggled the handle once more before he gave up and jogged the short distance to the office.

A young man was slouched over the counter, messy brown hair caught in a rough ponytail at the nape of his neck. He looked up when Roxas paused in front of the counter, almost seeming to look through him before he dropped his gaze back to the magazine he was hunched over. "Yeah?"

"Uh, I locked myself out of my room," Roxas mumbled, fingers tightening around the edge of his sleeve.

"Which room?"

"Eight." The other man – boy, really, Roxas amended, he couldn't be any older than Roxas was – looked up again, surprise writ clearly across his features before his eyes narrowed and his manner became one of appraisal.

"You're the guy that came in with Axel last night?" Roxas stared back, too startled to answer, and the other boy sighed and grabbed a key ring from somewhere below the counter. "Come on."

Roxas trailed him out of the office, pulling his fingers up inside his sleeves. "You know Axel?"

The brown-haired boy nodded jerkily, pausing in front of room eight and flipping carefully through his collection of keys. "He stays with us a lot when he's in town," he muttered, finally finding the key he wanted and inserting it in the lock.

"Oh." They both stood in the doorway for a moment before Roxas managed a wan smile and shrugged. "So, thanks."

"Yeah," the other guy muttered, turning back toward the office with his hands buried in his pockets. Roxas watched him go silently before stepping into the room and closing the door behind him. As he moved back towards his bed his eyes fell on his jeans, still splayed across the foot of the mattress. Something in his throat tightened as he pulled them off the bedspread and felt the telltale weight of his wallet in the right back pocket. Fishing it out with two fingers, he let the jeans drop to the floor and turned in place, sweeping the room for any sign of the redhead.

Axel's bag had been stuffed under the small sink tucked into the alcove beside the door – Roxas had swept right by it in his earlier panic. A large pile of clothes was sitting on the floor next to it, and Roxas ducked his head and massaged his temples with one hand. "Shit." With a sigh, he turned away from Axel's things and pulled the hoodie over his head, dropping it on the bedspread as he headed for the bathroom. "I'm gonna kill him."

* * *

Thirty minutes later Roxas was slouched down in an uncomfortable plastic chair, watching his and Axel's clothing spin around in the large, glass-fronted washing machine. His empty duffle bag rested in his lap, and the only thing he could smell was powder detergent. The laundromat was stifling, and the other customers left him to himself for the most part. One old man had peered at him balefully when he'd first entered, rheumy eyes almost disappearing in wrinkles as he'd squinted. "Shouldn't a boy your age be in school?" he'd demanded.

"No." Roxas had swept by him without further comment and the old man had settled back into his seat, gnarled hand curled around the head of his cane. Roxas had glanced back at him once he'd shoved the clothes into the machine and set the wash cycle, but the old guy hadn't been paying any attention to him anymore.

Roxas hooked his foot behind the chair's leg, then stuck it out in front of him. A middle-aged lady carrying a plastic laundry bin almost tripped over him, and he pulled his foot back again as she treated him to the rough side of her tongue. He mumbled an apology at her back as she stormed off, but he wasn't sure she heard him.

A loud buzzer announced the end of the load's cycle, and he stood up long enough to transfer the damp pile of clothes to the dryer. He hesitated for a moment before he started it, wondering if anything from Axel's pile would shrink. Then he thought about the way the redhead had just taken off earlier and decided he didn't really care.

He rested his head back against the wall as he waited for the dryer to finish, squinting up at the flickering fluorescent light set above him. Two more days. It was weird to think about that. He tried not to, but his mind kept circling back to it, worrying at it until he wanted to knock his head against the wall.

"Give me a break," he groaned softly, flushing and sinking down in his seat when one of the other customers glanced over at him.

When the load was finished, he stood and dumped the clothing back into his duffle bag, not bothering to fold it. He kept his eyes on his sneakers as he left the laundromat. No one tried to talk to him.

All the way back to the hotel, he kept his eyes peeled for Axel – the redhead never _had_ told him exactly how he planned on getting enough money to finish the trip out to Destiny Islands, and despite himself, Roxas was curious. He made it back to the room without catching even a hint of red hair anywhere.

He dropped the duffle bag down on his bed and ran his hands through his hair distractedly. Axel had said he'd be back tonight – whenever that might mean. What was he supposed to do until then? His eyes fell on the small refrigerator tucked under the television, but when he pulled it open all he found was maybe half a dozen beers crowding the bottom shelf.

He straightened with a sigh and threw himself back down on his bed, knocking the duffle bag to the floor and leaning on one elbow as he pawed through the nightstand drawer in search of the T.V. remote. The room only got ten channels that came in static-free. He flipped through them blindly for a while. Finally, after two hours of vacillating between mindless daytime talk shows and dry news reports, he shut the television off and tossed the remote back onto the nightstand. He glanced at his watch with a frown. Where the hell was Axel?

He pushed himself up with a disgruntled growl and stalked restlessly around the small room for a few minutes. On his fifth circuit, his gaze skimmed across the telephone. On his tenth time around, he paused and stood irresolutely over the battered device for a few seconds before he shook his head and continued on. As he turned to begin his thirteenth revolution he blew his breath out in a harsh sigh and marched deliberately back over to the nightstand. The telephone seemed to stare up at him from where it squatted with an air of expectancy.

Roxas glanced at his watch. He'd crossed at least one time zone getting out here, hadn't he? She probably wouldn't be home right now. He reached for the phone, then paused with his hand on the receiver. What if she was?

Taking a deep breath, he brought the receiver to his ear and dialed. The line rang hollowly in his ear, and he'd almost decided no one was home when there was the soft _click_ of the phone being picked up on the other end.

"Hello?"

Roxas's mouth was suddenly dry; when he tried to say something, his mouth only flapped uselessly.

"Hello?"

His sister's voice took on a new, sharp note, and the sudden hope in it made something in his chest feel like it was going to snap. "Roxas?" Roxas's fingers tightened around the receiver as he remembered her as he'd last seen her – eyes wide and uncomprehending, unable or unwilling to understand what she was seeing. "Roxas, is that you?" God, why had he thought he needed to do this? "Roxas, _please_ –"

He settled the phone back into the cradle gently, keeping his hand on the receiver. He wasn't ready to talk to her. He made himself pick the receiver back up anyway. This time the phone was picked up on the first ring.

"Roxas –"

"Namine," he interrupted, marveling at how calm he sounded. He could picture her biting her lip on the other end of the line, and he squeezed his eyes shut. "I'm sorry." He didn't wait for an answer before he set the phone back in the cradle. He wasn't sure if it was possible for her to 69 him, but he disconnected the cable from the back of the phone with trembling fingers, then carried the phone itself to the other side of the room and left it sitting next to the sink.

He retreated back to the bed, curling his legs into his chest as he stared blankly at the opposite wall. His stomach rumbled, reminding him that he hadn't really eaten since he'd gotten up. He glanced automatically at the fridge, then remembered there was nothing to eat in there. "God dammit, Axel," he muttered, reaching for his jacket.

* * *

Roxas returned to the room twenty minutes later with three bags of groceries – mostly microwave dinners and value-packs of chips. He stuck what needed to be kept cold in the refrigerator and made himself a lukewarm version of meatloaf. He didn't realize until he sat down to eat that he'd forgotten to buy anything to drink.

He mentally cursed the redhead for what felt like the hundredth time that day as he shoved the beer bottles around the bottom shelf of the fridge in search of some other form of liquid sustenance. "Fine," he growled, grabbing a beer and stomping back to the table with it.

He almost spit out the first sip he took. He eyed it with a frown – he'd never had beer before, and he wondered if it was just him, or if there was something wrong with this particular bottle that made it taste like shit. Scowling, he set it aside and tried to concentrate on finishing his meal. Ten minutes later he was braving another sip – surely it couldn't really be as bad as he'd initially thought. By the time his food was gone he'd finished one bottle and was starting on another, a delicious sensation of warmth flooding his entire body. By the time he got started on the third bottle, he didn't really care much about anything any more.

* * *

Axel woke him sometime later by kicking the chair he'd fallen asleep in. Roxas woke with a start, jolting the table and causing one of the empty beer bottles to tip over. "You drank my beer?" Axel's voice seemed to hover somewhere between annoyance and outright anger, and when Roxas swiveled his head to look up at him he found the redhead glaring down at him. "What the fuck, Roxas? I mean, seriously – what the _fuck_?" Roxas opened his mouth and an embarrassingly wet burp crawled up his throat. "Aw, shit," Axel growled, grabbing him by the collar and pulling him to his feet.

Before Roxas had time to protest, Axel had dragged him into the bathroom and helped him to kneel in front of the toilet, steadying his head by wrapping his arm around Roxas's shoulders and laying his hand across the blond's forehead. "For God's sake, aim for the bowl," the redhead half-groaned. His fingers were warm against Roxas's clammy skin, and for a moment Roxas only closed his eyes and waited for his mind to orient itself.

"Lemme up, Axel. 'M not gonna be sick," he mumbled feebly.

"You sure?"

Roxas nodded, shivering slightly as Axel's fingers traveled up into his hair with the movement. Axel released his hold on him only to grab him under one arm and haul him back to his feet. "We're having a talk," he said flatly, leading Roxas back out into the hotel room. Roxas sank down on his mattress and propped his head in his hands; Axel stood over him, eyes hard. "What the hell's going on, Roxas? No more bullshit. I think I've been pretty damn patient, here."

"Stop _shouting_," Roxas hissed, running his fingers up into his hair and tugging lightly. Axel stared at him for a moment before his gaze swept back to the empty beer bottles on the table.

"Shit," he muttered, his lips curving upward seemingly of their own volition. "You're a real lightweight, Rox."

"Thanks," Roxas muttered, pressing his fingers into his temples. Axel sighed heavily, and most of the anger went out of his expression.

"Stay out of my beer, kid." Roxas mumbled something unintelligible and flopped backward on the mattress, listlessly kicking his sneakers off. Axel remained staring down at him for a second before he shook his head and grabbed one of the few remaining beers from the fridge. Roxas grimaced at the sound of the bottle being opened and turned over onto his side. "Did you go to the laundromat?" Axel asked, bending to retrieve his bag from underneath the sink. He paused when his eyes fell on the telephone. "What the hell were you up to while I was gone?"

Roxas ignored the question. "That was a shitty thing to do this morning," he grumbled, turning over far enough to shoot a glare in Axel's direction. Axel's smile was sharp and completely unapologetic.

"Got the point across, didn't it?"

Roxas scowled and looked away. "So where'd you go?"

"Here and there."

"Fine," Roxas muttered. There was a short silence before he heard Axel sigh.

"Y'know, trying to have a conversation with you is an exercise in frustration."

"You won't answer me!"

"Gee, that must be incredibly frustrating."

They glared at each other for a few seconds before Axel sighed again and wiped a hand over his face. "I'm too tired for this shit," he muttered, moving to sit cross-legged on his bed.

"Where'd you go?" Roxas asked wearily, flopping onto his back and turning his head to stare at Axel. The redhead shrugged and took a long swig from his beer.

"Into town. I keep _telling _you I know people around here. They're willing to give me a couple bucks here and there under the counter for a hard day's work." He held up three fingers. "I worked three jobs today, kid, and every one of 'em involved hard labor. So you can understand me not wanting to have to worry about what kind of shape I'm gonna find you in when I get back."

Roxas flushed and moved his gaze to the ceiling. "Yeah. Sorry." Axel remained silent. "Look, it won't happen again, okay?"

"Damn right it won't," Axel grunted, propping himself against the headboard and resting his beer bottle against his forehead. "And you _are_ going to tell me what the fuck is up with you sometime."

"Yeah," Roxas mumbled. Axel glanced over at him, a ghost of his usual smirk flashing across his face.

"How 'bout now?"

Roxas managed a weak laugh. "Hell, no. My head's killing me."

"I wonder why." Axel laughed at his expression before he dug out a cigarette and lit up, tilting his head back and staring at the ceiling. The smoke made Roxas feel vaguely sick to his stomach, but he took one look at Axel's drawn face and decided to remain silent on the matter.

Axel reached for the remote and flicked on the television, turning the volume down to a low hum. "Heard you talked to Jim today."

"Who?"

"The kid in the office."

"Oh. Yeah. He said he knew you."

Axel snorted. "Yeah, you could say that." He grinned when he caught sight of Roxas's expression. "Y'know, for a guy who's so dead set against questions, you want to know an awful lot, Roxas." Roxas only scowled at him. Axel tilted his head down to peer at Roxas out of the corner of his eye. "You really wanna know?"

Roxas was a little surprised to find he did. Axel sighed at his hesitant nod.

"The kid tried running off a couple years ago," he started, running a hand through his hair. "I picked him up right outside the city limits. Within half an hour I'd turned around and brought him back." A grin flashed across his face. "Man, but he was pissed."

"Why?"

"Well, I would've thought that was blatantly obvious," Axel replied, rolling his eyes. Roxas frowned at him.

"No, why did you bring him back?"

Axel shrugged. "He was barely fifteen. A kid that age has no business being on the road."

"Oh. That was…nice."

Axel snorted and pushed himself up off the bed. "Well you don't have to sound so surprised," he grumbled, loping back over to the fridge. Roxas remained silent while Axel popped a plastic-covered tray into the microwave and grabbed another beer.

"So what, you just go around picking strays up off the side of the road?" Roxas asked suddenly, wondering why the thought bothered him so much. Axel glanced at him, expression unreadable, before he shrugged and turned back to the microwave.

"No – you're only the second kid I ever bothered to stop for."

Roxas wondered if he was still a little bit drunk – surely nothing else could account for the flutter of warmth that thrilled through him at the words. "Oh. Okay." Axel grunted as he grabbed his food out of the microwave and settled at the small table. Roxas stared at his back for a moment before he turned his attention to the ceiling, letting the muted sounds of the television fill the silence.


	6. Stranger Than Your

(A/N): I should just have headphones surgically grafted to my ears. It always seems to be music that snaps me out of my writing funks. Okay, first of all, _thank you_ guys for being so patient and understanding while I tried to get this out. I really appreciate it. Second of all, some of you may have noticed the new tag. Well, this fic has gotten away from me in more than one sense of the word. Not only is it already much longer than I'd originally envisioned, it's also veered off from the relatively simple AkuRoku tale I had in mind when I began. I'm honestly not sure where the story will go from here, but I thought it best to change the tag just in case. Thanks are due to my sister for several spots of inspiration in this chapter. I hope you guys enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I couldn't afford the lawsuit that would follow if I tried to claim these characters as my own.

Stranger Than Your

Roxas fell asleep to the sound of tinny canned laughter coming from the television. He woke early the next morning with his temples pounding dully and a high, steady buzzing whine ringing in his ears. He mumbled unintelligibly into his pillow before turning his face to the side and forcing his sleep-gummed eyes open a crack.

Axel was standing at the small sink, dressed in a pair of faded jeans. The sound of his electric razor drilled itself steadily into Roxas's skull. The weak light of predawn that managed to edge through the closed blinds was just enough to illuminate the tattoo that curled itself around Axel's right bicep, over his shoulder, and down his back – a spit of flame that wound its way down to engulf a wickedly pointed weapon unlike anything Roxas had ever seen. Axel shifted the razor to his other hand, and the flames seemed to dance.

Roxas's temples throbbed, and he rolled over and let his eyelids fall closed for a moment. When he opened them again, Axel was gone and cold gray light was streaming through the half-open blinds. Roxas remained where he was for a moment, one cheek pressed into the pillow and the blankets tangled around his legs, blinking stupidly at the redhead's unmade bed; then he groaned, rolling onto his back and throwing an arm across his eyes. He didn't want to get up yet.

His stomach rumbled almost obscenely loudly. "All right," Roxas muttered, voice still thick with sleep. He kicked the tangled covers to the bottom of the bed and drew himself up, wiping blearily at his eyes. Grabbing his duffle bag from the floor, he stumbled his way into the bathroom.

He took a shower and dressed quickly, grateful that the pounding in his head had for the most part subsided. He grabbed his jacket and headed for the door, pausing at the threshold as he frowned up at the sky. Thick gray clouds had bled the color out of the world, and darker clouds were massing on the horizon. Thunder rumbled in the distance. Roxas hesitated, weighing the options of spending another day trapped in the hotel room with the television blaring static and the phone squatting on the scarred nightstand against the chance of being caught in the storm.

He grabbed the key from the counter and let the door fall closed behind him as he headed for the street.

He paused in front of the main office when he caught sight of Jim through the glass door, slumped over another magazine at the counter. Roxas stared in at him for a moment before opening the door. Jim glanced up as Roxas stepped up to the counter, and his expression became guarded. "What? Did you lock yourself out of your room again?"

Roxas frowned. "No." Jim stared at him, a line drawing itself down the center of his forehead as he waited for him to say something, and Roxas felt a dull flush creeping up his neck.

"So…"

Roxas's stomach rumbled again, and his flush deepened. "Is there anywhere to eat around here?"

Jim nodded. "The Triple-D."

"The Triple-D?"

"Yeah." Roxas stared at him, waiting for more, but the brown-haired boy dropped his gaze back to the magazine spread in front of him. He glanced back up when Roxas didn't move. "What?"

"I don't know where that is," Roxas said, striving to keep the edge of exasperation out of his voice. The line between Jim's eyes deepened.

"Follow the street three blocks down that way," Jim said, pointing at the sidewalk that passed by the office. "Turn right and go another two blocks. It'll be on your left." His mouth tugged down in a small frown. "Okay?"

"Yeah," Roxas mumbled, turning away from him. "Thanks."

He was at the door when Jim spoke up behind him. "What do you think of Axel?"

Roxas paused with his hand on the door handle and glanced back over his shoulder. Jim was still slumped over the counter, a stray piece of hair trying to tease loose of his ponytail. Roxas shrugged and let go of the door, sticking his hand in his pocket. "I don't know." Something in the set of Jim's shoulders relaxed marginally. Roxas glanced out at the street before returning his gaze to the other boy. "Can I ask you something?"

Jim's eyes narrowed, but he nodded. "What?"

"Why'd you run?"

Jim's manner became cool and appraising, and he scrutinized Roxas's face closely before his lips stretched in a strangely mirthless smile. "Probably for the same reason you did." His smile grew when Roxas started, and his eyes moved past him to the slice of the street visible through the office door. "I thought anywhere was better than here."

* * *

The sky had darkened even in the short time Roxas had been in the office, but he ducked his chin into his collar and marched resolutely onward, his throat crowded with questions he didn't want answers to. He followed Jim's directions blindly, keeping his eyes trained on his shoes. He looked up when he reached the end of the second block, brows drawing down low over his eyes when he saw the restaurant's sign.

An anthropomorphic cartoon character beamed down at him from underneath the words _Dippy Dawg Diner_. "Triple-D," he muttered, one side of his mouth tugging up into a lop-sided grin in spite of himself. Shaking his head, he waited for the light to change before heading for the door.

The bell set above the door jingled as he pushed through it, and a clap of thunder suddenly sounded, much closer than it had been, as if in answer. Roxas jumped in surprise, then glanced around with a scowl, wondering if anyone had noticed. The diner was almost deserted, and none of the few patrons scattered amongst the various booths and tables bothered to glance to him.

He sighed and pulled a hand through his hair as a middle-aged waitress hurried out from behind the long counter to seat him. "Table or booth?" she asked, tucking a pencil behind her ear and regarding him with her hands on her hips. Roxas shrugged, and the waitress swept a plastic-covered menu under one arm before turning and leading him to a small, two-person booth tucked into a far corner. "You want anything to drink?"

"A soda?" Roxas ventured, trying to squeeze past her and hang his jacket on the back of the chair. The waitress nodded and set his menu down on the table with a snap before turning away.

"Be right back to get your order, hon."

Roxas sighed and sank back in his seat, giving the menu a cursory glance before turning his head to watch as lightening lit up the sky. The waitress returned with his drink and Roxas ordered a cheeseburger before handing over the menu. "You want fries or chips?" the waitress asked, pencil scribbling busily over her pad.

"Chips."

"Okay," she exclaimed, snapping the pad shut and returning it to the pocket of her apron. "Your food'll be right out."

Roxas nodded distractedly as another bolt of lightening lanced through the sky. Thunder boomed, and the sky opened, a hard, drumming rain instantly overtaxing the gutters and swirling across the surface of the street. Roxas watched for a while, then turned his attention away. He found himself fiddling with his straw wrapper, crinkling it into strange shapes and then smoothing it out, twining it around his fingers. He paused when he realized what he was doing, then unwound the paper from his fingers and set it back on the table, studiously smoothing it out. When he'd pressed the wrinkles out of it as best he could, he began to fold it in half length-wise, brows settling low over his eyes in concentration.

He hadn't thought about this trick in years. Olette had been the one to teach it to them. He could still remember how she looked that day, a scrawny girl of fourteen with braces and her dark hair pulled into two pigtails.

_"Have you guys heard about this? You tie a knot in a straw wrapper and pull. When the wrapper breaks, the side the knot comes away on tells you if you're destined to be lucky in love."_

"_That's dumb,"_ Hayner had scoffed, one leg swinging as he perched on the edge of the couch in the Usual Spot and sipped up the last of his soda with a loud slurp. Olette had made a face at him, but Namine had smiled, clearly enchanted by the idea.

_"I want to try."_

She'd scooped up the wrappers Hayner and Roxas had used as projectile weapons earlier and handed one to Olette. The two girls had bent over them, intent on making sure the knots wound up in the very center of the wrapper. Pence had leaned forward to watch. When they were ready, they both held the wrappers up. Olette had still looked a little embarrassed, but she and Namine had grinned at each other as they chanted, _"One, two, three!"_ And pulled.

Roxas jumped when the waitress returned with his order, setting the plate flat on the table without even a rattle. "You need anything else right now, hon?" Roxas crumpled the paper in his hand.

"I'm fine," he answered, managing a strained smile. "Thanks." Roxas waited until she'd left to unclench his hand. The wrapper was nothing but a tiny ball now. He didn't feel like straightening it out and starting over. He dropped it into the condiment tray and focused all of his attention on his food.

The rain had let up some by the time he was finished with his meal. He paid his bill and stood just inside the door for a moment, peering up into the gray sky before flipping his hood up and walking out into the drizzle.

Olette's knot had come away in her right hand.

"_What's that mean?"_ Roxas had asked.

Olette had looked as if she was torn between being amused or hurt. _"Unlucky."_

"_Sucks to be you,"_ Hayner had mumbled around his straw. Olette's face had fallen slightly, and Roxas had leaned over and kicked Hayner in the shin. _"Ow! Jesus, Roxas!"_

"_It's just a stupid game,"_ Roxas had muttered, holding his hands out for the pieces of the girls' wrappers.

"_Yeah,"_ Olette had agreed, her good humor restored as she smiled at him. _"Just a game."_

They'd begun dating two years later.

* * *

Roxas peered in at the front office as he went by, but Jim was nowhere in sight. A slim woman with brown hair pulled into a loose bun was ensconced behind the counter, eyes distant. Roxas kept walking.

He was two doors from his room when there was a flash of white on the edge of his vision. Pausing underneath the slim overhang, Roxas turned and surveyed the narrow parking lot. Nothing moved. The only sound was the muted hiss of the rain. He started to turn away, then stopped. He thought he'd seen movement underneath the front end of Axel's car.

Features drawing down into a frown, Roxas bent over and placed his hands on his thighs, squinting. Two bright eyes peeked up at him from under the grille of Axel's car. Roxas blinked. "What…" A white, bedraggled kitten was crouched low over the ground, its tail tucked tightly around its body as it regarded Roxas with wide, solemn eyes. Roxas blinked again and straightened, pushing the hood of his jacket back and running his hands distractedly through his hair. He glanced up and down the open-air hall, but there was no one in sight. He glanced back down at the front of Axel's car, where the kitten was inching forward with cautious curiosity.

"Shit," Roxas sighed, stepping out from underneath the paltry shelter offered by the overhang. He dropped to one knee in front of Axel's car, extending his hand. "C'mere." The kitten darted out a paw, lightening quick, and tracked red lines down the back of Roxas's hand. Roxas withdrew his hand, cursing. "Ow! What was that for, you stupid cat?" The kitten only meowed at him. Scowling, Roxas reached underneath the car again and got a hand around the scruff of the kitten's neck. "Knock it _off_," he grumbled, pulling it out and unzipping his jacket far enough to stash it inside.

The kitten blinked up at him, tiny claws catching on the front of Roxas's sweatshirt. "Stupid cat," Roxas muttered, cupping one hand beneath its body as he turned back toward the room. He dug the key out of his pocket and pushed his way into the room, sneezing as soon as the door closed behind him. "God." He pulled the kitten out of his coat and deposited it on the counter next to the sink. "Stay there." He snagged his duffle bag and marched to the bathroom.

When he emerged a few minutes later, he was dressed in a fresh pair of jeans and a t-shirt. He held a towel loosely in one hand. The kitten meowed loudly at him from the counter, where it was stalking back and forth and eyeing the floor longingly. "Oh, shut up," Roxas grumbled, wrapping the towel around the cat before picking it up. He stood at the sink, vigorously rubbing the towel over the kitten's matted fur until it stopped shivering. "There." He put it on the floor, where it sat and blinked up at him before turning away to groom itself.

Roxas flung the towel in the general direction of the bathroom before stepping over the kitten and collapsing on his bed. He dug the remote out of the nightstand drawer and flicked the television on. There was nothing on, so he settled for turning the volume on low and laying back, lacing his hands behind his head. He was just beginning to doze when there was a sharp tug on his comforter.

Roxas cracked an eye open, half expecting to find Axel looming over him, pissed for some reason, but no one was there. The tugging came again. Frowning, Roxas rolled onto his side and propped himself up on one elbow, peering over the side of the bed. The kitten was clinging to the edge of his comforter. As Roxas watched, it gathered itself for another jump. "Knock that off." The cat only meowed at him. "_What_?" It began kneading the comforter with its claws. Groaning in exasperation, Roxas reached down and seized it by the scruff of the neck. "I _can_ put you back out there," he threatened, bringing it up to eye level. The kitten simply curled up a little tighter and batted one paw at Roxas's nose.

The phone rang. Roxas almost dropped the cat at the sudden, strident sound. Catching himself and depositing the kitten safely in his lap – where it proceeded to tuck itself into a neat circle, purring loudly – he stared at the device, heart beating loudly in his ears. His mind flew immediately to the disastrous call from the day before. It couldn't possibly be Namine.

He made himself pick up the receiver. "Hello?"

"Hey, kid."

Roxas slumped so far forward he almost dislodged the cat. "What?"

"I'm picking some stuff up on the way back tonight. You want anything?"

"No."

"Suit yourself."

The phone clicked in his ear, and then the line went dead. Roxas listened to the nothingness for a second before carefully settling the receiver back in its cradle. He stared at it for a moment, wondering if he should call Sora. He glanced around the cramped hotel room, then down at the white ball of fluff curled in his lap, its nose buried in its tail. "Later," he muttered, scooping the cat off of his lap and depositing it on the top of the comforter. He stretched out beside it and waited for sleep to come.

* * *

He was woken some time later by tiny claws kneading none-too-gently at his inner thigh. He jerked upright with a shout, and the kitten jumped back, startled, before pushing its head against his stomach and meowing loudly. "What?" Roxas half-groaned, dropping his head into his hands. "What do you want?" The kitten climbed into his lap, planted its front paws on his chest, and meowed up into his face.

Roxas's stomach rumbled, and he groaned again. "Okay, _okay_." Sweeping the cat off of his lap, he pushed himself up from the mattress and shambled over to the fridge. The kitten hopped down to the floor and shadowed him, twining itself around his legs and almost tripping him.

Grumbling under his breath, Roxas pulled the fridge door open and surveyed the microwave dinners crowding the small shelves. "Don't suppose you like Hamburger Helper," he mumbled. The kitten only rubbed against his leg and purred. Roxas sighed and began to push things around on the shelf.

He finally located a small cellophane-wrapped packet of turkey lunchmeat. Grabbing it in one hand and scooping the cat up with the other, he settled at the table. He ripped the packet open and tore off a thin strip of meat. The kitten sniffed at it before taking it from him, and Roxas smiled at the feel of it small, sharp teeth on the pads of his fingers. "You're a weird cat," he muttered, tearing off a piece of turkey for himself. The kitten only glanced at him, licking daintily at its chops before returning to its meal.

* * *

Roxas was still sitting at the table, staring blankly at the wall, when Axel walked in. "Hey, kid." The redhead shifted the bags in his arms and caught sight of the kitten, happily destroying the laces of one of Roxas's sneakers. "What the hell is that?"

Roxas blinked and roused himself, frowning and shoving the kitten away from his shoe with his foot. "It was underneath your car."

"_What_?"

Roxas couldn't help smiling a little at the other man's expression. "When it was raining. I found it under your car earlier."

"Why didn't you just leave it there?" Axel asked, eyebrows drawing together as the kitten came up to him and began to wind around his ankles, purring loudly.

"It's a _kitten_, Axel."

"It's a _cat_, kid," Axel snorted, moving forward and dropping the bags onto the table in front of Roxas. "It was doing fine when you showed up, and it'll be fine when you're gone." His eyebrows rose at Roxas's expression. "You're not thinking of keeping it."

"No! Just…"

"You cannot keep that thing in the room, Roxas. Do you even have food for it?"

"It ate some turkey earlier," Roxas said defensively, scowling. Axel's expression remained skeptical. "Look, just for tonight, okay? It's cold out there."

Axel sighed and carded a hand through his hair. "Roxas – "

"I got a box and some newspapers for a litter box. It's just one night."

"You're serious. You're really serious." Axel regarded him with his head tipped to the side and his arms crossed over his chest. Roxas stared back mutely. The redhead sighed and shook his head. "Whatever, Roxas. One night." He stabbed a finger at the kitten as it stretched and yawned. "But if that thing pees on anything of mine, I'll skin it."

Roxas ducked his head to try and hide his smile. "Okay. Thanks."

Axel grunted and began transferring items from the bags to the small fridge. "This isn't gonna be a thing with you, is it? One stray's my limit."

"You're an ass," Roxas mumbled automatically. Axel only grinned over his shoulder at him.

"So you've said. You need to come up with some new insults."

"Mm."

Axel finished putting the groceries away and snagged a microwave dinner and a beer before closing the fridge door. He noticed Roxas watching as he popped the top of the beer off on the edge of the counter, and he tipped the bottle at the blond with a wicked smile. "You want one?" He only laughed when Roxas glared at him. He ripped the plastic off the top of his dinner and stuck it in the microwave, setting the timer before he moved to take another chair at the table. "You gonna tell me about it?" Roxas groaned and tipped his head back. "Oh, come on, you should be used to this by now. Okay, we'll start small. Who's Namine?" His expression was uncharacteristically serious when Roxas snapped his head back down to glare at him. "You talk in your sleep, kid."

Roxas flinched and glanced away. "She's my sister," he said grudgingly. The slight widening of his eyes was the only indication Axel gave at being surprised Roxas had answered the question.

"And?" Roxas remained silent. "Come on, kid. You were doing so well." A smile flitted across Axel's face, but it seemed almost an afterthought.

"Where'd you get the tattoo?" Roxas asked suddenly. Axel blinked.

"_What_?"

"Where'd you get your tattoo?" Roxas repeated, a smirk hovering at the edges of his lips.

Axel stared at him for a moment before a razor-sharp grin spread across his face. "Tit for tat, huh?" Roxas simply stared back at him, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest. Behind them, the microwave beeped. Axel rose from the table long enough to grab his dinner and another beer, then settled himself back in his chair. "All right, Roxas," he said, taking a long swallow from his open bottle. "Let's play."


	7. Just Wanna Use Your

(A/N): Wow, this is _late_. Sincerely sorry about that guys, but things lately have made finding the time to work on fanfic slimmer and slimmer, and when the time was there the inspiration was not. Plus _everybody_ decided to go weird on me this chapter. So sorry about the wait, and I hope the chapter doesn't disappoint.

Disclaimer: Insert witty disclaimer here.

Just Wanna Use Your

Roxas settled a little more deeply into his seat as Axel set his beer back on the table. The redhead opened his mouth, then grimaced and kicked his foot under the table with a low oath. "Fucking cat," he hissed, glaring as a flash of white fur streaked from underneath his chair and to the other end of the small room. The kitten reached the wall and twisted, body held low to the ground, hindquarters twitching as it eyed them with a slightly manic cast. "_Why_ did you have to grab that thing again?" Axel grumbled, balling his napkin in his hand and tossing it in the kitten's general direction. The cat immediately pounced and commenced tearing the paper to shreds.

"It was raining," Roxas said impatiently. "You're avoiding the question."

Axel snorted. "Please. If you _must_ know, I got it in Great Maw."

Roxas waited, but when nothing more seemed to be forthcoming, he frowned. "And?"

"And now it's my turn," Axel said, smirking. "Why are you babbling about your sister in your sleep?" Roxas stiffened in his seat, glaring, but Axel only took an exaggerated bite of his dinner. "Tit for tat, kid," he reminded the blond through a mouthful of milky mashed potatoes.

Roxas's lips twisted down in a scowl as he cut his gaze to the side, hunching his shoulders almost unconsciously. "I don't…" he muttered, trailing off into an indecipherable mumble. Axel paused in his chewing and cupped a hand behind his ear.

"What?"

"Ask something else," Roxas snapped, eyes blazing as they snapped back to meet Axel's.

Axel didn't even blink. "What's your favorite color?"

Roxas's mouth dropped open as he spluttered. "W-what?"

"Your favorite color," Axel prodded.

"What the _hell_… I don't know, blue."

Axel nodded like Roxas had just dispensed something deep and revealing. "You see? Progress."

"You're enjoying this," Roxas growled, glaring at the man. Axel only grinned and shoved another forkful of food into his mouth.

"Immensely. Your turn."

"God, this is stupid." Roxas eyed the redhead, tilting his head to the side as he considered his next question. "What is it?"

"What?"

"Your tattoo. What the hell is it?"

Axel paused in his chewing, eyes glinting. "When exactly did you see my tattoo, anyway, kid?" he asked, a faint leer in his voice. Roxas worked very hard on keeping the flush trying to creep up his neck out of his cheeks.

"This morning," he muttered, glaring.

"Mm-_hmm_." Roxas was pretty sure the glint in the redhead's eye officially qualified as evil. "Never really pegged you for a perv, Rox." If the world really worked the way his physics teacher had insisted it should, Roxas reflected, one of them should be spontaneously combusting – either Roxas from the force of his blush or Axel, from the ferocity of Roxas's glare. Axel only chuckled at his expression and set his fork back on the plastic tray, leaning back in his seat. "Okay, okay."

The kitten crept back toward the table, body held low to the ground. Roxas nudged it absently away from him with his toe as Axel pulled his hoodie up over his head and flung it to the side, lifting the right sleeve of his t-shirt to expose the flames that danced over his skin. "I got this five years ago in Great Maw. I was just passing through, wasn't supposed to be there more than a couple days, but I wound up getting tangled up with this crazy chick, Larxene. She had this unhealthy obsession with weapons; knives, machetes, daggers – she had 'em all over the damn place." He waved a stalling hand in Roxas's face when the blond's eyebrows began to draw together. "Hey, you didn't want to talk, so shut up and listen."

He paused for a moment, frowning down at the cat when he caught sight of it crouched under the table. When Roxas cleared his throat irritably, he blinked and dragged his attention back to the blond. "Where was I? Oh, yeah, she was obsessed with weapons. So anyway, I was helping her go through her shit one day and we unearthed this pair of chakram. _Chakram_. Just, like, lying underneath her crap in a corner of the living room." He shook his head and rolled his eyes. "No question the girl was certifiably fucking _nuts_. So, for her own safety, I took 'em with me when I left."

"Pair of _what_?" Roxas broke in, struggling to hold onto his temper. What did this have to do with anything? Axel glanced up at his tone, a smirk ghosting across his face.

"Temper, temper, kid," he chided, wagging a finger at him. He tilted his head back and sighed dramatically when Roxas continued to glare at him. "That thing on my back," he said, jerking his thumb over his shoulder, "_that_ is a chakram."

"And you've got two of them."

"Yep," Axel said, an unmistakable note of pride in his voice.

"I've never seen them," Roxas said suspiciously.

"Of course you haven't," Axel scoffed, hunching over his dinner again. "They're in storage."

Roxas blinked. "Storage?"

Axel rolled his eyes and nodded. "Yes, _storage_. I'm pretty sure it'd be illegal for me to go waltzing all across the damn country with a pair of deadly weapons in the trunk. A lot of my shit's in storage," he muttered, almost to himself as he shoveled another forkful of food into his mouth.

The kitten sidled back up next to Roxas, manic energy gone as it rubbed lightly against the blond's leg before daintily sniffing at the stained carpet. Roxas waited for Axel to say something more, but the other man's expression remained far away. Finally, Roxas cleared his throat. "And the tattoo?"

Axel gave a small start and glanced back up at him, face uncharacteristically blank for a second before his customary smirk plastered itself over his features. "Yeah, sorry. Okay, so I always used to doodle when I was bored. Larxene found one of 'em I did based on the chakram and liked it. It took three appointments to finish and hurt like a bitch when she was working on this part –" He gestured at the underside of his bicep, fork waving. "– but when it was all said and done, she did a damn good job."

"She?"

"Uh, Larxene," Axel said, his inflection almost making the statement a question as he glanced down at his meal and sighed before pushing it away from him. "She ran her own tattoo parlor."

Roxas couldn't help an incredulous smile. "You lived with a weapons-obsessed tattoo artist."

Axel snorted. "Why the hell would I lie about something like that, moron?" Not waiting for an answer, he leaned across the table, elbows jutting to either side. "Now," he said pleasantly, "I do believe it's my turn. And seeing as how I gave you such a nice, well-rounded explanation for _your_ question, I expect you to quit. Dodging and answer mine." Roxas scowled and glanced away, spine stiffening. "Why'd you leave?"

Roxas's posture remained stiff for several seconds before he slumped in on himself, rubbing at the sudden pinprick of pain rapidly spreading over his left eye. "I _told_ you. I just…I just had to get out." He raised his eyes far enough to glare at Axel. "What do you want me to _say_?"

Axel regarded him silently for a moment, tipping back a swallow of his beer, before he sighed and tilted his chair back on two legs, crossing his arms over his chest. "Look, kid," he started, then shook his head and blew out an aggravated breath. "Forget it," he sighed. He remained tipped back in his chair, staring blankly at the ceiling, as Roxas fidgeted uncomfortably at the silence. He jumped when the legs of Axel's chair came thumping back down on the carpeted floor.

"What do you say," he began, "we compare the story of how I got _that_ tattoo –" He jerked a thumb over his shoulder, and Roxas's eyes were drawn inexorably to the spit of flame peeking out from underneath the redhead's sleeve. "– to _these_." He gestured at the inverted triangles on his cheeks. "I got these three weeks before the end of high school with a fake I. D. – one last 'fuck you' to my parents before I blew out of there." Roxas shifted under the redhead's gaze, trying to surreptitiously slide his own gaze elsewhere. There was a moment of silence before Axel snorted and sat back a little, slouching over the table and crossing his arms. "You think you're the only kid who's ever run?" he asked, faint derision in his voice. "God, Jim talked more sense than you, and he was fucking fifteen."

"And look where it got him," Roxas snapped, temper blazing. "Right back where he started. You gonna just leave if I say the wrong thing, huh? If I piss you off enough?"

"I _said_ I'd take you all the way." Axel's voice was completely flat, and Roxas faltered, cringing inwardly at the redhead's tone. The kitten meowed loudly up at him from its place on the floor, and he scooped it onto his lap, burying his fingers in its fur. Axel remained silent across from him, and Roxas began to panic a little at the quiet, irrationally feeling that by his own reticence he was failing some bizarre rite of passage.

The sound of his own voice in all that quiet startled him. "I was –" He paused, biting uncertainly at his lip before continuing on. "The day I left," he started, voice low, "I stayed home from school. I kept unpacking and repacking my bag all morning. I just – I wanted to get out of there so badly, but I just couldn't…" Almost of its own volition, his leg began to jitter in nervous little stutters; the kitten sent him a reproachful glance and slipped out of his hands like water, hitting the ground and stalking a few steps away, where it promptly began to clean its face.

Roxas glared at it as his arms wrapped themselves automatically around his chest. Axel held his silence, expression revealing no hint of his thoughts. Roxas felt a flare of anger at him for just sitting there and watching, waiting for him to fall apart, but it burned away in almost the same instant it formed. Shoulders hunching, he continued to glare at the ground as he took up the story again. "I was still there when Namine came home. The school was only a couple blocks away, and she'd slipped away during lunch to come and check on me. She saw the bags." He took a deep breath. "She tried to stop me, talk me out of going. I…I said some things." He ducked his head a little further into his chest, hating how he couldn't even bring himself to speak candidly about the things he'd shouted at her, the months of pent-up frustration and vitriol let loose in one viciously poisonous tirade directed at the one person he'd tried so hard not to hurt. His lips twisted in a bitter smile. "And then I left her there. Just shoved past her…" His voice trailing off into nothing, he leaned forward and rested his forehead in his hands, abruptly so tired he could barely keep his eyes open.

Axel's voice was low when he spoke. "All right, Roxas."

Roxas waited for the caustic reply to rise to his tongue, but nothing came. Instead, for a horrific instant, he was afraid if he opened his mouth he might start crying. He heard Axel sigh and take a swig from his beer, but he refused to look up and meet the redhead's eyes. "So what happened to Great Maw?" he finally managed after a lengthy silence.

"What?"

"Great Maw," Roxas muttered, cradling his forehead in his hands. "Tattoo. What's-her-name."

"Larxene," Axel said. "You want the quick and ugly version? She was a great lay – and that was all. It wasn't exactly something we were emotionally invested in." Roxas felt something in his chest twist at the other man's tone.

"Sorry."

Axel snorted softly. "Don't be." There was a beat of silence before Axel spoke again. "You gonna be okay? You look like hell."

Roxas barked a laugh, rubbing his fingers vigorously over his eyes. "Thanks." When he looked up Axel was extending the second beer toward him. Roxas narrowed his eyes, but Axel only tipped the bottle a little more, expression free of any trace of mockery. Sighing, Roxas swiped the bottle out of his hand and took a long swallow, grimacing at the taste. "This stuff is disgusting," he grumbled.

"Beggars can't be choosers, kid."

Roxas grunted and settled the bottle on the table, wrapping both hands around it. "Why me?" he asked wearily. "Why'd you even stop?"

Axel shrugged. "Dunno. Maybe because it was freezing, and in spite of all the crap you'd been through, you were still out there."

"Mm." Roxas pushed the beer bottle back across the table and rearranged his limbs so that his face was sheltered in the crook of his elbow. "I think I prefer you when you're being an asshole."

There was a choking sound, followed by Axel coughing and pounding on his chest, laughing through the tears that stood in his eyes. "God, you're a stupid kid," he gasped out.

"Fuck you," Roxas mumbled. A question occurred to him, and he roused himself enough to roll his head to the side far enough to regard Axel with one bright eye. "That kid in the office –"

"Jim."

"Yeah, him. What's his problem?" Axel only frowned at him, puzzled, and Roxas rolled his eyes as best he was able. "He's a complete dick to me."

"Ah." Axel's eyes glinted as he tipped back another swallow of his beer. "Jim's got…issues. He doesn't like anyone horning in on what he thinks is his."

Roxas stared at the redhead for a good thirty seconds before he groaned and buried his face in his arms again. "Do you have _any_ idea how creepy and fucked up that sounds?" he demanded, voice muffled.

"Yeah, well, get used to it," Axel replied, tone stuck somewhere between joking and sincere. "Creepy and fucked up's pretty much the standard for people like us."

It was on the tip of his tongue to ask what the hell _that_ was supposed to mean, but Roxas found he was too tired to really care. He didn't realize he'd drifted off until he woke up enough to realize Axel was trying to pull him to his feet, one thin arm snaking around his shoulders and under the arm farthest from him, looping the nearer one over his own shoulders. "Come on, kid, stand up," he muttered, and Roxas could smell the nicotine on the man's breath. Roxas's head lolled heavily on his neck, but between the two of them they managed to get him standing. Slowly, stumbling over his own feet, Roxas let Axel lead him to his bed. "Fucking kid," Axel murmured, letting go of the blond and letting him drop, already half-asleep, to the mattress.

Roxas tried to argue out of habit, but darkness claimed him before he could remember how to shape the words.

* * *

Axel was gone when Roxas woke the next morning. Roxas blinked blearily at the wall, rubbing at the grit in his eyes as he waited for his brain to come awake enough to remember where the hell he was. His gaze fell on the jury-rigged litter box he'd built the night before, and his eyes flicked around the small room in search of the tiny ball of white.

"Cat?" he whispered, voice a dry croak. Nothing answered him. So, Axel had kicked it out like he said he would. Roxas let his eyes slip closed again, limbs and head so heavy he was surprised he didn't just sink right into the mattress. God, this whole thing had been such a _stupid_ idea.

Ignoring the sudden stinging at the back of his eyes, Roxas pulled the blankets over his head and drifted back to sleep.

* * *

Thin, cold light was streaming through the vertical blinds when he next opened his eyes, throat dry and head fuzzy from too much sleep. Roxas mumbled under his breath and grabbed fistfuls of the bedding to pull himself upright, every muscle protesting the movement. God, but he was so _tired_. Rubbing the heel of his hand against his right eye, he leaned back against the headboard and waited for his brain to catch up to the fact that he was finally awake.

Beside him, the phone began to ring.

Roxas swiveled his head to glance at it without interest. After another moment of listening to its strident jingle, he reached down and jerked the jack out of the wall.

Absurdly feeling better, he swung his legs over the edge of the mattress and stood, assessing. His chest felt like it was full of lead and his hands dragged at the ends of his arms with almost enough force to pop them out of their sockets, but he was still standing. That was something. He glanced over at the bathroom door, then down at the rumpled clothes he'd wound up sleeping in. Dragging a hand through his hair to comb it, he pulled on his sneakers and jacket and stepped out into the cold, making sure he had the room key on him before letting the door fall closed behind him.

He paused in the outdoor hallway, looking first one way and then another before he crouched and peered underneath Axel's car. The kitten peered back out at him, curled in a tight ball against Axel's front right tire. Roxas's expression eased into a smile, and he extended a hand, snapping his fingers lightly. "Hey. C'mere." The cat only blinked at him. "_C'mere_." When the kitten didn't move, Roxas dragged a hand through his hair in aggravation before standing. "Fine. Stay there."

Jamming his hands in his pockets, Roxas turned away from Axel's car and headed for the street, ignoring the way the wind bit right through his layers of clothing. He paused in front of the office, peering through the glass door. Jim was ensconced behind the counter, surrounded by… Roxas squinted. What exactly _was_ all that supposed to be, anyway?

There was a soft _whooshing_ noise as the cold air rushed in when he opened the door. Roxas blanched slightly when Jim glanced up, expression immediately closing. "You need something?"

Choosing to ignore the other boy's slightly hostile tone, Roxas shrugged and hunched his shoulders, trying to bury his nose in the collar of his jacket. "Where's the nearest supermarket?"

Jim gestured toward the door with a small screwdriver. "Two blocks that way."

"Thanks." Jim grunted and turned his attention back to the pieces of metal littered across the counter in front of him, and Roxas shifted awkwardly from one foot to the other.

"What?" the brown-haired boy demanded, not bothering to look up.

"What is that?" Roxas asked, inclining his head at the mess covering the counter.

"What's it look like?"

"Scrap metal."

Jim glanced up, and for just a second Roxas saw the beginnings of an amused light in the other boy's eyes before he blanked his features. "It's a toaster."

"Oh." They stared at each other for a second longer before Roxas turned away. "Well, thanks."

Jim grunted an acknowledgement, and when Roxas glanced back before letting the door fall closed behind him, the other boy was bent over the pieces of the toaster again, strands of brown hair pulling loose from the tie at the nape of his neck and hanging in his face. He paused in the doorway, letting the cold air creep past him as he tried to formulate what he wanted to ask.

"Do you ever wish you'd never gotten in the car with him?"

Jim didn't glance up. "Sometimes – yeah, sometimes I guess I do."

"Yeah," Roxas muttered, stepping out of the way of the door and heading in the direction Jim had indicated.


	8. Sometimes I Think I'd

(A/N): So. This chapter was actually finished Saturday morning, but when I went to upload - lo and behold, my internet had crapped out on me. And then I discovered that every public library in the area bans FFnet because - wait for it - it's classified as a porn site. Oh, FFnet, I love you. So yes, my internet still has the habit of crapping out on me in the middle of whatever I happen to be doing, so I am way, way behind on messages, and I'm not always sure the replies actually get _sent_. So sorry about that, guys. Also, sorry for the delay, and hope you enjoy the chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't owwwwn iiiit.

Sometimes I Think I'd

Roxas hunched his shoulders as another gust of wind cut through his jacket; ducking his chin into his collar, he tried to think of anything but the things he'd let slip the night before. He didn't know why Axel had insisted on stirring it all up again when he'd been doing such an excellent job of not thinking about it. His feet beat a steady rhythm against the cracked sidewalk as his mind circled restlessly, never fully settling on one topic before flitting ahead to another one.

Maybe he should take a bus. There really was no reason to hang around when his destination was a mere two days' drive away. He could give Axel enough money to tide him over until he got to…wherever it was he'd been going before Roxas had dropped into his life. And then he could just…go. Green eyes lit with a sly grin flashed across his mind, and Roxas raised a hand to rub soothing circles against his suddenly throbbing temples. God, but this whole thing had been so much simpler in his head.

He traversed the two blocks with his gaze fixed firmly on his sneakers, only realizing as he stepped through the automatic doors of the supermarket that he had no idea what to buy – Namine was allergic to dander, so they'd never had a pet. Features drawing into a thoughtful frown, he grabbed a shopping cart and stalked through the aisles until he found the one he wanted.

He pushed the cart in front of him, frown deepening as he gazed at the panorama of boxes and bags spread before him. How did _any_ animal need this many choices? He darted a quick glance around, wondering if he should ask one of the clerks for assistance, but there weren't any employees in sight. He turned back to the rows of pet food and accessories, tearing one hand through his tangled hair in frustration. "Screw it," he muttered, reaching out to pluck items haphazardly from the shelf and toss them in the cart's basket. When he had everything he could think of needing – including wet _and_ dry food – he gave the cart a push and trundled up the aisle, grabbing a few more incidentals as he passed them.

The cashier checked him out with a minimal attempt at conversation, eyeing his disheveled appearance with an expression of thin-lipped forbearance. Roxas stood slouched with his hands buried in his pockets as she worked, regarding her with dull apathy, and by the time she handed his card back and asked him to come again her mouth was a puckered line slashed across her face. Roxas shrugged a response at her and loaded the last few plastic bags into the cart, giving it a shove to get it moving and heading for the doors.

The cold bit deep as he stepped back out onto the street, and Roxas wished he'd thought to grab his gloves as he pushed the cart past the sign admonishing him to keep it in the lot. They could slap him on the wrist if they wanted – he wasn't lugging a ten-pound bag of food back to the hotel over his shoulder.

No one ran out after him, no voices were raised in protest. Roxas ignored the looks he received as he rattled along the sidewalk, pointing the cart in the direction of the hotel.

No one was in the office when he passed it, for which Roxas was absurdly grateful. One of the cart's wheels had jolted loose, and it jumped and rattled in its track as he pushed it toward the room, the sound loud in the comparative silence of the open-air hall. He caught a flash of yellow eyes as he passed Axel's car, and he shot a tight smile at the kitten as he brought the cart to a halt and dug the room key out of his pocket with numb fingers. The wash of warm air as he pushed the door inward made him sigh, and he brushed his bangs out of his eyes as he let his gaze travel over the small room. Reaching out with one hand, he wrapped his fingers around the cold metal and pulled the basket a little closer before he began to unload.

Soon stacks of cans, oversized bags of food and litter, and various other accoutrements occupied every available bit of space on the counters flanking the television, and a small mountain of empty plastic bags had overtaken the foot of Roxas's narrow bed. When the cart's basket was empty, Roxas backed out of the room, leaving the door yawning open as he grabbed the cart and pushed it the length of the parking lot, leaving it tucked in the far corner next to the dumpster. His sneakers crunched over loose gravel as he walked back to the room, hands curled into fists deep inside his pockets.

He stepped out of the cold, closing the door and leaning back to rest against it, tilting his head back and closing his eyes. He was so tired… He ground the heel of his hand into the corner of his eye, trying to shake off his lethargy. He needed to call Sora. He should've called him days ago. He cracked an eye open, regarding the battered black telephone with distaste before he shoved himself away from the door and shambled over to it, sinking onto his mattress as he picked up the receiver and brought it to his ear. His hand hovered above the keys as his fingers tightened around the receiver.

He stood abruptly, returning the receiver to the cradle and turning his back on the nightstand. He could call Sora later. It wasn't as if they were leaving today.

Wiping a hand down his face, he dragged his duffle bag from where it had disappeared under the bed and rooted through it for a warm hat and a pair of gloves. His face twisted when he pulled a white woolen cap out of the bag, but he jammed it down over his head and shoved his hands into his gloves without a word. He snagged a plastic bowl from the overflowing countertop and tore a hole in one of the bags of dry food, filling the bowl to the brim before he stomped back to the door.

He narrowed his eyes as he stepped back out into the cold, but he let the door fall closed behind him as he knelt in front of Axel's car and extended the bowl of food. The kitten only looked at him. "C'mon," Roxas muttered, shaking the bowl. "It's food." The kitten blinked at him, yawned, and promptly tucked its nose into its tail and appeared to go to sleep. Roxas's breath hissed out between his clenched teeth as he sat back on his haunches, glaring. "God, quit being such a fucking _cat_."

"What are you doing?"

Roxas started at the unexpected voice, glancing up over his shoulder with a scowl. Jim stood behind him, a full-to-bursting garbage bag slung over one shoulder and the large hood of his down jacket drawn up around his face. Roxas's scowl deepened as he turned his head to glare at Axel's bumper. "There's a cat," he mumbled grudgingly.

Jim's brows drew together in a frown, and he lowered the garbage bag to the pavement before kneeling beside Roxas, bracing his hands against the pavement as he leaned down far enough to peer beneath the car. "Oh, that," he said, spying the white ball of fur. "You probably won't get it to come out with food for a while – we just fed it."

"What?" Roxas regarded the other boy with narrowed eyes. "Why?"

Jim's expression turned to one of irritation as he shrugged and pushed himself to his feet. "Axel said if I saw a white cat hanging around I should leave some food out for it."

Roxas paused, something inside his chest twisting almost painfully. "Axel said that?"

"Yeah," Jim muttered, grabbing the garbage bag and throwing it over his shoulder again. "Freak out some more, why don't you?" Roxas ducked his head as Jim walked away from him, a small, incredulous smile playing over his lips. He glanced at the kitten again, trying to snap his gloved fingers.

"Come on, you stupid cat, c'mere." It ignored him, and he sat back with a sigh, backing up to sit against the door to the room, the bowl of food resting next to him on the sidewalk.

Jim stepped over Roxas's splayed legs as he trudged back toward the office. "Know anything about the shopping cart stuck back there?" he asked as he moved past him.

"Nope," Roxas said, not even looking at him. Jim grunted, the sound clearly conveying his disbelief, but he didn't pursue the subject. Roxas fought down the childish urge to flip the bird at the other boy's retreating back, instead settling for tilting his head back and regarding the space beneath Axel's car with hooded eyes.

"You know you're not allowed to have animals in the rooms," Jim said as he stepped over him with another bag of trash slung over his shoulder.

"We're not in the room," Roxas muttered, belatedly trying to find someplace more discreet to stash the bowl of food.

Jim shot him an inscrutable look as he paused, gaze swiveling between Roxas and Axel's front tire. "Whatever," he sighed. "Just don't let my mom see it."

Roxas whipped his head around to gape at Jim, but he was already moving on, shoulders hunched against the cold. Roxas glanced back at Axel's car, a small, incredulous smile tugging at the edge of his lips. Jim didn't say anything more as he passed over him again, and Roxas's grin only widened as he thumped his head gently against the door. "All right," he muttered, bracing one gloved hand against the concrete and levering himself to his feet.

He beat his hands together as he bounced on his toes, trying to get his circulation flowing freely again. Apparently attracted by the noise, the kitten sidled forward far enough to peer up at him from beneath the car's bumper, and Roxas shook his head at it. "We're practically in Destiny Islands," he said. "It's supposed to be warmer." The kitten only blinked before its tiny pink mouth opened wide in a yawn. Roxas sighed and sank back down to a crouch, resting his elbows on his knees. "Look, cat, it's too cold for this crap, okay? Just hold still for two seconds –" He slipped a hand out of its glove and darted forward, getting a firm hold on the scruff of the kitten's neck. He felt it tense beneath his grip and paused, waiting for it to cry out or try to squirm out of his grasp, but it only gazed back at him, the tip of its tail twitching. "Okay," he breathed, tugging it forward lightly. "C'mon."

The kitten allowed itself to be pulled from beneath the car, and Roxas settled it in the crook of one elbow as he turned back toward the room. He glanced toward the office as he slid the key into the lock, but Jim had disappeared, presumably to man the counter once again. He nudged the door open with his foot and bent to retrieve the bowl of food, unfolding his arm to allow the kitten to jump to the ground. It hesitated in the threshold for a moment, head cocked as its ears swiveled to and fro, but at Roxas's nudging it stepped forward, allowing the blond to enter behind it and shut the door.

Carefully stepping around the animal, Roxas set the bowl of food back on the counter and pulled his cap off, ruffling a hand against his hair to try and reintroduce some volume to the crushed locks. He glanced down at the cat, which had tucked its paws neatly beneath its body and was regarding the room with wide-eyed disinterest. "Well it's better than being stuck out under a car," he said. The kitten ignored him.

With one last useless tug at his hair, he tossed the cap on top of the mountain of empty bags at the foot of his bed and plucked at the front of his sweatshirt, expression pulling down into a scowl. He glanced at his watch – even with his late start, Axel would still be gone for hours yet. "Don't suppose you know any card games," he shot distractedly over his shoulder as he moved toward the bathroom. The kitten, predictably, didn't answer.

Roxas pulled the door closed behind him and quickly stripped, shoving his soiled clothing into a more or less neat pile in the corner before he turned the hot water in the shower on full. He braced his hands against the cracked tiles as he bent his head beneath the spray, his eyes slipping closed as he let the rhythm of the water beating against his skull lull him into a near trance-like state. Only when the warmth began to leach out of the water did he reach for the soap.

When he was finished he shut the water off and stepped out, toweling himself dry and wrapping the towel around his waist before opening the door.

The kitten had somehow leveraged itself to the top of Roxas's bed – the plastic bags were scattered along the coverlet and the floor, and the animal was kneading its claws in his cap. "Hey!" Roxas shouted, body jerking into motion as he clapped his hands sharply. "Get away from that!"

The kitten jumped at the sudden noise, back arching before it turned and bolted, its tail disappearing beneath the edge of Axel's comforter. Groaning under his breath, Roxas stalked over to his bed and snatched the cap up, stretching it carefully between his hands. Sure enough, there were a few small snags where the kitten's claws had worked the material loose. He balled the hat in one hand as he scrubbed the other against his forehead, marshalling for inner calm. It wasn't the kitten's fault – he shouldn't have left it out.

He blew a deliberate breath out through his nose and unclenched his hand, laying the cap back on the bed and rooting through his duffle bag for a fresh change of clothes. He dressed quickly, tossing the towel back into the bathroom before he walked back over to the counter. He snagged a can of wet food and the can opener before he settled in the narrow space between his bed and Axel's, grimacing as he tried to find a way to cross his legs comfortably.

There was no movement from beneath the bed.

Roxas latched the can opener onto the edge of the can, cranking by hand until the top came away in his hand. Settling it clean-side down on the carpet beside him, Roxas dipped his fingers into the brown mush. He twitched a foot against the thick comforter, extending his food-smeared fingers. The kitten didn't appear. "C'mon," he muttered, wiggling his fingers. He tried to remember if there was a proper way to cajole a cat. "Here, kitty." If the cat heard him, it gave no sign. Roxas sighed and tilted his wrist so he could glance at his watch. The hours still stretched emptily ahead. He fixed the comforter with a hard stare, then resettled his limbs resolutely.

He could wait.

* * *

He was dozing, head lolling loosely on his neck, when he felt a sandpaper-rough tongue laving his fingers. He came back to full consciousness with a start, and the kitten shied away for a second before meowing plaintively up at him. Roxas blinked, a tentative smile tugging at his lips as he extended his fingers once again. The kitten sniffed at them, eyeing him warily for a moment before its tongue began to scrape over his skin once more.

Roxas's smile spread as he reached up his free hand to scratch behind its ears. The kitten braced its front paws against his legs and surged up briefly into his caress, then returned its attention to the food. When it was finished with the food he'd spread across his fingers, it slipped out of his lap and stuck its face in the open can still sitting on the floor next to him.

Roxas gave its ears one last scratch before he lumbered to his feet, trying not to touch the comforter. Holding his hand out in front of him, he stepped over the kitten and took the few steps to the bathroom, rinsing the remnants of food from his fingers.

He ambled back into the main room, blotting his hands against his jeans and glancing automatically at his watch. Axel still wouldn't be back for quite some time. He sighed and scrubbed a hand down his face, grinning in spite of himself at the sight of the kitten pushing the empty can around the floor as it tried to lick up the last of the food clinging to its sides.

Roxas left it to its task for the moment and sat on the edge of the bed, grabbing up the white cap and dropping it back into the duffle bag before he began gathering the empty plastic bags together. He stuffed them in the small garbage bin beneath the sink, then turned and slipped the empty can away from the cat, ignoring its mewl of complaint and dropping it in the bin as well.

He glanced around the small room, but other than nudging the dirty laundry into a neater pile there wasn't anything else he could find that needed doing.

His stomach growled at him, reminding him that he hadn't eaten yet today, and he wandered over to the fridge and pulled out a microwave dinner and bag of chips. He stood and watched the plastic tray spin in circles in the microwave, stopping the cycle before the appliance could emit its high-pitched beep. He carried the food over to the table, snagging a drink from the fridge before he settled in one of the chairs and began to eat.

The kitten edged closer to him, sitting with its tail tucked neatly around its paws as it stared up at him, nose twitching. "This is my food," Roxas mumbled at it, shoveling another forkful into his mouth for emphasis. The kitten glanced away, feigning disinterest, but Roxas saw the way its ears swiveled back his way with every sound.

When he was finished, he gathered the trash together and dropped it into the now-full garbage bin.

He glanced at his watch. Sighed. Moved back over to the bed and sank down onto the mattress. The kitten followed him with its eyes, but didn't move to follow him. "I should take a bus," he told it. It only meowed at him.

* * *

Roxas was sprawled across his bed with his headphones snugged securely over his ears when Axel got back. He glanced up to find the redhead standing in the doorway, expression betraying no hint of his thoughts as his gaze swiveled between the cat, curled on the comforter next to Roxas with its nose tucked into its tail, and the mess of food, litter, and accessories obscuring the counter space. Roxas paused the music and pushed himself upright, striving to make his own face just as expressionless, dreading what the redhead might say about the cat, or about their conversation the night before.

Axel turned his head to meet his eyes, and it seemed to Roxas that they stared at one another for a very long time. Finally, Axel sighed and stepped the rest of the way into the room, shutting the door behind him. "Okay, Roxas. It's your money. But the rules still apply." He shrugged out of his jacket and tossed it onto his bed. "If it pees on something of mine, I get to make a nice kitty throw pillow out of it."

A lopsided grin spread across Roxas's face as Axel grabbed a beer from the fridge and threw himself down on his own bed, digging in his pocket for his pack of cigarettes. "Thanks," he muttered, ducking his head when Axel glanced over at him.

Axel smirked. "Don't thank _me_. _You're_ the one who's gotta keep Jim from seeing it."

Roxas shrugged. "Jim knows. Kinda. He just said not to let his mom see it."

"Really?" Axel seemed to turn that over as he took a long swallow of beer. "Kid must be getting soft in his old age."

"Mm." Roxas fiddled with the cord of his headphones, watching Axel light a cigarette from the corner of his eye. This was the moment to bring up the bus, to point out the expense and the trouble he'd already put the redhead through and offer him enough money so that Roxas could leave with a clear conscience.

Axel exhaled a thin plume of smoke, lips quirking up in a tired smile when he noticed Roxas watching him. "What?" Roxas shook his head, pressing the play button on his CD player and retreating back into his music, and the moment passed.


	9. Maybe When

(A/N): I'm having a hard time with this fic, guys. There are reasons and excuses I could give, but - just know that I _am_ still trying to work on it. This chapter is for **kurosora1984** for putting up with my wandering into her room at odd times to try and talk through some problem or other (even if she doesn't recognize it as such). She's the only reason this chapter got finished as soon as it did.

Disclaimer: Don't own it.

Maybe When

The kitten dragged Roxas out of sleep early the next morning – by climbing onto his chest and yowling into his face. Roxas jerked upright with a startled grunt, one hand flying to the weight dragging at the front of his shirt. He groaned when his fingers sank into soft fur; collapsing back against the headboard, he cracked an eye open far enough to glare down at his chest's sudden appendage.

"That thing's been bitching all morning."

Irritably wiping his free hand across his eyes, Roxas swung his head around far enough to scowl at Axel. The redhead was seated on his own bed, dressed in a pair of beat-up jeans and vigorously toweling his hair dry.

"So why didn't you feed it?" Roxas mumbled before succumbing to a yawn.

Axel snorted. "It's your freaking cat. You feed it."

Roxas grumbled wordlessly as the kitten meowed up at him again, its tiny claws catching in his shirt. "All right, all right," he groaned. Getting one hand around the scruff of its neck, he pulled it off of him and deposited it none-too-gently on the floor, where it immediately ran for its food bowl. Roxas pulled himself to the edge of the bed, rubbing the heel of one hand against his eye as he swung his legs to the floor and stood up.

Axel draped the towel around his shoulders as Roxas took the few steps over to the counter and picked up the can opener and a can of wet food. "You can always stick it back outside, you know," he said.

"What is it with you and cats?" Roxas grumbled as he set the metal top aside and spooned the food into the kitten's bowl. His lips tugged up in an involuntary smile as the kitten pushed its head forward, bumping against Roxas's hand as it began to scarf the food down. Roxas gave it a brief scratch behind the ears before he tossed the empty can into the garbage and stood.

He turned at the sound of rustling cloth to find Axel dropping the towel to the comforter and pulling a black t-shirt from his bag. The flames on his back flickered in an unfelt breeze as he slipped it over his head, absently running one hand through mussed red spikes. "You gonna be gone again all day?" Roxas asked, dropping back onto his own bed.

Axel dragged a dark hoodie over his head, shrugging as he shoved his arms into the sleeves. "Probably." His eyes flashed in the low lighting as he grinned. "Why? You getting bored without me already, kid?"

Roxas glared at him. "No." Axel only chuckled, retrieving his pack of cigarettes from the jeans he'd worn the day before and tapping out a fresh one, settling it between his lips as he moved toward the door. "It's just – there's nothing to do," Roxas muttered, letting his eyes slip closed for a second. When he opened them again Axel was standing at the door with his hand on the knob, head cocked at an angle, still and silent. Roxas bit his tongue as a flush began to creep up the back of his neck. "Shit Axel, I – I didn't mean it like that," he said. "It's just…you're gone all day and – and I don't have anything to do…" Axel glanced back over his shoulder at him, and Roxas trailed off, cheeks burning. "I – I could help," he finished lamely, trying to pretend that had been the point he'd been driving toward all along.

Axel regarded him silently for what felt like forever before he somehow managed a wry grin while keeping the unlit cigarette pinched firmly between his lips. "All right, Roxas," he sighed, drawing his lighter out of his pocket. He flicked it open and ducked his head to the flame until the end of the cigarette caught. "There's a job I wasn't sure I'd get around to today," he said, lifting his head and exhaling a thin plume of smoke. He snapped the lighter closed and returned it to his pocket. "If you want, you can head down and check it out. Tell 'em I sent you and it shouldn't be a problem." He glanced around before grabbing up a scrap of paper, then patted his pockets with a frown. "You got a pen?"

Face still flaming, Roxas snared his duffle bag and pulled it onto the bed with him, unzipping an outer pocket to retrieve a ballpoint pen. He tossed it to Axel, who snatched it deftly out of the air and scribbled an address on the scrap before handing both pen and paper to Roxas. He held onto the pen until Roxas glanced up. "You don't have to do this, Roxas."

Roxas frowned and tugged on the pen. "I said I'd do it."

Axel held his gaze for another moment before relinquishing his grip on the utensil. "Okay. Dress warm, kid."

"Quit calling me that," Roxas grumbled as Axel turned back toward the door. The kitten came and sat at his feet, licking its chops. "What am I supposed to do with this while I'm gone?" Roxas called after Axel's retreating back.

Axel paused in the act of closing the door, smile sharp and completely unsympathetic. "It's your cat, kid." Then the door closed and he was gone.

Roxas blew his breath out in an aggravated sigh and glanced down at the paper in his hand before he set it on the nightstand and stood up. The kitten regarded him silently from where it sat at his feet, tail twitching against its front paws. "Oh, shut up," Roxas told it as he stepped over it and headed for the bathroom.

He took a quick shower, made even quicker when the hot water ran out on him soon after he got in – he barely finished rinsing the shampoo out of his hair before he slammed the faucets off, cursing the absent redhead under his breath as he toweled himself dry and pulled his clothes on. Throwing the towel over the only open rack, he ran his fingers through his hair, frowning when it only caused his damp spikes to stick up in new, more interesting ways.

He almost tripped over the kitten when he tried to exit the bathroom. He caught himself on the door jamb, irritated expression easing as the white ball of fluff shrank away from him and meowed reproachfully. "Shit," he breathed, steadying himself before he dropped into a crouch and patted the animal awkwardly on the head. "Sorry." The kitten arched up into his touch, purring, and Roxas sighed. "What am I supposed to do with you while I'm gone?" he asked, scratching underneath its chin when it tilted its head up. The kitten only meowed at him again. "Exactly," Roxas said, bracing his hands on his thighs and pushing himself back to his feet. He glanced around the room, frustrated, dragging a hand through his hair before he grabbed his coat. He zipped it halfway up, then bent and snatched the kitten, stashing it inside. He collected the paper from the nightstand, made sure he had his room key, and stepped out the door, one hand cradling the kitten's weight.

The sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon as he pulled the door closed behind him; he couldn't suppress a shiver as he watched his breath ghost away on the chilled air. Hunching his shoulders, he turned toward the office.

Jim was ensconced behind the counter with several sheets of paper spread around him and a calculator sitting close to his right hand. He glanced up when Roxas pulled the door open, eyes widening when he saw the cat. "You can't bring that thing in here," he said, voice a low hiss. "Do you _want_ my mom to see it or something?"

Roxas paused, shifting from one foot to the other. "I have to go," he said, striving to match the other boy's low tones. "I don't know how long I'm gonna be gone. I can't just leave it by itself."

"Just put some food and water down for it – it's a _cat_, it'll be fine."

"It'll get in my stuff," Roxas insisted.

Jim blew out an aggravated breath and threw a glance over his shoulder at the darkened room behind him. "Well you can't keep it _here_." He and Roxas glared at one another for a couple of tense moments; finally, Roxas broke eye contact and, scowling, dropped his gaze back to the kitten. Jim sighed and made a show of shuffling the papers around before glancing over his shoulder once more. "Look," he muttered grudgingly, "just stick it back in the room and I'll check on it later. If I get a chance." Roxas cut his gaze back to the other boy, but Jim was glaring at the papers spread before him, fingers flying over the calculator's buttons.

Roxas ducked his head, re-adjusting his grip as the kitten squirmed inside his jacket. "Okay." He hesitated for another second. "Thanks." Jim didn't say anything, the sound of his pen scratching across the paper filling the silence between them until Roxas cleared his throat. Jim glanced back up at him, irritation writ clearly across his features, but Roxas chose to ignore it as he thrust the scrap of paper at him. "Where do I go to find this address?"

Jim arched an eyebrow when he saw the numbers scribbled across the paper, but he only handed it back and gestured toward the door. "Go straight up the street until you hit the supermarket, then take a left. Go up a block, take a right, and it'll be on your right." He frowned. "Will you _please_ get that thing out of here before my mom sees it?"

"Thanks," Roxas muttered as he turned back toward the door. Jim only mumbled under his breath, the sound of his fingers ticking against the calculator's buttons following Roxas out of the office.

When he reached the room he removed the kitten from his jacket and deposited it back on the floor just inside the door, crouching to scratch behind its ears. "Don't destroy the room, okay?" he muttered. It yawned in response and lay down, curling into a tight ball and tucking its nose beneath its tail. Roxas sighed and pushed himself back to his feet, taking one last glance around the room before he turned and pulled the door closed behind him.

* * *

Roxas checked the address Axel had scribbled down for him against the numbers on the building, brows settling low over his eyes as he shoved the scrap of paper back into his pockets. It was a _bar_ – what the hell did Axel think he could do in a place like this? Frowning, he stepped up to the doors and peered into the darkened interior, cupping his hands against the glass to try and cut some of the glare. The small floor space was littered with tables, the legs of the upturned chairs atop them limned by the faint glow of a light source somewhere beyond his line of sight.

He stepped back, chewing unconsciously at the inside of his lip before he reached for the door handle. The door swung inward under his hand, and Roxas stuck his head through the opening and rapped his knuckles against the glass. "Hello?" he called tentatively. "Anyone here?"

"In the back," a woman's voice called.

Roxas stepped fully into the establishment, letting the door fall closed behind him and stuffing his hands in his jacket pockets. His sneakers squeaked against the polished wooden floor as he followed the spill of light back to an open door in the rear of the room. He paused when the voice spoke again. "You're early – I thought you weren't going to be able to make it at all today." The owner of the voice appeared in the doorway as she finished speaking, resting a case of glasses against one shapely hip and flicking her dark hair away from her forehead. Her eyes narrowed when she saw Roxas. "Who are you?" she asked, and something in the way she subtly shifted her center of balance made Roxas think she could kick his ass if she decided to.

"Roxas," he said quickly. "I'm Roxas. Axel sent me." He dug the scrap of paper out of his pocket and thrust it at her with a nervous smile. She studied his face narrowly for another moment before her gaze flicked to the piece of paper and she plucked it from his fingers, bringing it closer to her face with a frown.

Abruptly she sighed and crumpled the paper in her hand. "That idiot." She cocked her hip, shoving the paper into her pocket as she looked Roxas up and down. "Roxas, huh?" She smiled and extended a hand when he nodded hesitantly. "Nice to meet you. Mind giving me a hand?" Roxas didn't even have time to shake his head before he found the case she'd been carrying shoved into his arms, the glasses rattling in their pockets. "Take that over to the bar for me, okay? I'll just grab another…" She turned and disappeared back behind the door, leaving Roxas to blink owlishly in the sudden murkiness.

He hefted the case a little higher, getting a firmer grip before he shuffled the few steps to the side needed to set the glasses on the corner of the bar. He pushed at it, prodding it first one direction and then another before he let it be, returning his hands to his coat pockets and waiting for the woman to come back.

There was a brief surge of light as the door opened again, but the woman flicked the light switch off and swamped them in gloom once more. She slipped past Roxas with a murmured "Excuse me" and set an identical case of glasses next to his on the counter before reaching beneath the bar. Low-set bulbs flickered to life behind the counter, causing strange reflections and refractions of light amongst the bottles of liquor lining the shelves. Movements brisk and industrious, the woman whisked both cases from the counter, stowing them somewhere out of sight before she turned her attention back to Roxas; propping both elbows on the bar, she rested her chin in one hand and regarded him with a cautious smile. "So, Roxas," she said. She paused, but he only stared back at her, waiting for her to continue. She huffed a quiet laugh and shook her head. "What does that idiot think he's doing, trailing a kid like you around with him?"

"I'm not a kid," Roxas bristled, stung. "And he's _taking_ me to Destiny Islands."

"Is that so?" She tapped an index finger against the bar before she straightened, pulling her hair back from her face. "Okay, then." She sighed at his expression, spreading her hands wide. "I didn't mean to upset you, Roxas. Just forget I said anything, okay?"

Roxas shrugged jerkily. "It's fine," he muttered, glaring at the floor.

Something flickered in her eyes for a moment before she shrugged it away. "Okay, then," she said. "Let's get started." She bent to retrieve a thick stack of flyers from below the bar, dropping them to the counter with a loud _thud_. "These," she announced, laying one hand on top of the pile, "are for you." Her lips quirked into a small smile when his brows knitted together in confusion. "Have you ever been flyering before, Roxas?" Roxas only blinked. "I'll take that as a no," she said. She patted the pile of papers before shoving it toward him. "Take those and stick them under every windshield wiper and in every door you see until you run out."

"O…kay," Roxas said slowly, trying to get his fingers under the bottom few papers. "Then what?"

"Then you come back here and get some more."

Roxas glanced up sharply, wondering if she was just trying to yank his chain, but there was no hint of mockery in her expression. Dropping his gaze, he finally got a grip on the entire stack and pulled it against his chest. "Okay," he muttered, turning toward the door. The woman didn't speak again, but Roxas glanced back before letting the door fall closed and found her still standing behind the bar, arms crossed as she watched him, her expression thoughtful. She smiled a little when his eyes met hers and raised a hand in a wave goodbye, which Roxas awkwardly returned before stepping back out onto the sidewalk.

He paused just outside the door, juggling the flyers from hand to hand until he managed to secure them under one arm; raking his free hand through his hair, he gazed down the street, quailing a little inside at the number of cars parked along the curb. He bit at the inside of his lip, frowning, before he blew out a noisy breath and stepped up to the nearest car, slapping the first flyer into place.

* * *

Time blurred and ran together, the world narrowing to the beat of his sneakers against the pavement and the next windshield, the next doorway. The size of the pile under his arm shrank slowly – if he'd known what sort of job Axel'd been sending him on, he thought sourly, he would've brought his headphones to help fill the empty time. His stomach rumbled from time to time, reminding him that he hadn't had enough sense to bolt down even a rudimentary breakfast before leaving the hotel. After a while his nose began to run; he muttered and cursed under his breath when he had to sniff twenty times a minute just to keep the mucus from dripping down his face.

Finally, he was down to his last few flyers. Giving himself a stern mental shake, he threw off his self-induced apathy and looked around him for the first time in nearly an hour. He had no idea how far he'd come from the bar, but nothing about his surroundings looked familiar. Heaving a sigh, he slipped the last few flyers underneath the nearest car's windshield and stuffed his hands in his pockets, leaning against the car's hood for a moment's rest.

He found himself watching the faces of the people moving past him, eyes scrutinizing every plane and pore. He wondered if any of them were really happy with their lives, actually content to live each day just like the one before, on and on until they passed away peacefully in their beds. Every day he'd remained in Twilight Town he'd felt as if another part of him was slowly dying, strangling under the pressures of what everyone else expected him to be.

He pushed himself upright with a grunt and began the trek back to the bar. He kept his head down and his eyes trained on his sneakers the entire way.

When he arrived he found the doors had been partly blocked by chairs, which had been pulled down from the tabletops to allow the woman he'd met earlier to move between them, rag and spray bottle in hand. She glanced up, pausing in the act of spritzing the nearest surface to regard him with a guarded sort of warmth as he squeezed through the gap the doors afforded him. "How'd it go?"

Roxas shrugged, straightening his jacket. "Okay."

"Why don't you sit for a minute before heading back out?" she asked, gesturing toward an upright chair. "Would you like some water? Maybe a soda?" Roxas's stomach grumbled loudly, drowning out his mumbled response, and he ducked his head as a flush raced up the back of his neck. The woman shook her head, a smile curving her lips as she pointed back to the chair. "Go on, sit." Roxas sank into the indicated chair, blushing to his hairline. "Good. Give me just one minute." So saying, she turned smartly on her heel, depositing the rag and spray bottle on the bar as she swept past it and back into the rear room.

Roxas leaned over to rest his elbows on the table, then straightened again when he remembered she'd been cleaning. Folding his arms across his chest, he slumped into himself, letting his bangs fall into his eyes as he waited for the heat in his cheeks to cool.

When the woman reappeared a few minutes later, she balanced a plate containing a large sandwich and chips on one hand and carried a glass of water in the other. Pausing beside Roxas, she slid the plate smoothly from her hand to the tabletop, setting the water glass down with a _click_ that echoed faintly in the empty room. "There," she said, stepping back and wiping her hands against her shorts, "eat up."

Roxas straightened, reaching for the sandwich with a muttered, "Thanks."

She watched as he took a noisy bite and began to chew with fervor, then shook her head and reclaimed her rag and spray bottle. "Doesn't he _feed_ you?" she asked indignantly.

Roxas washed a mouthful of turkey down with a gulp of water. "I just forgot to eat breakfast," he managed before shoving another bite in his mouth.

"Uh-huh." The look she shot him clearly broadcast her doubts, but she kept any further thoughts to herself, attacking the remaining tabletops with single-minded dedication.

By the time Roxas downed the final chip and sucked down the last of his water every table save his was gleaming and the room smelled of oranges. "All done?" she asked, coming to stand beside him again.

He nodded. "Yeah. Thanks, um…"

"Tifa," she supplied, smiling as she snagged his plate. "More water?" When he shook his head, she grabbed up his glass as well. He tried to rise and help, but she shooed him back into his seat. "This'll only take a moment," she said, already moving toward the back room. Roxas relented, resettling himself and heaving a full-bodied sigh as his lips turned up in a drowsy smile.

He was just beginning to doze when Tifa dropped another pile of flyers in front of him; he jerked awake and away from the table in surprise, almost tipping his chair over backward before he managed to grab the edge of the table and right himself. "Whoa – you okay?" she asked, arms hovering uncertainly, ready to catch him if he pitched backward again. "Sorry, I didn't think you were actually asleep."

"'s fine," Roxas mumbled, swiping a hand across his eyes. He eyed the pile of flyers – it was significantly smaller than the last one. "Is that it?"

Tifa nodded, keeping a wary eye on him as she stepped back and crossed her arms. "That's it," she confirmed. "Get these out and then you can come back for your pay, all right?"

Roxas nodded and pushed himself away from the table, pausing as he scratched at the back of his head. "Thanks for the food."

Tifa smiled, waving away his thanks with one hand. "Don't worry about it, Roxas. Someone has to get a decent meal in you."

"I really did just forget to eat this morning," he said.

Tifa regarded him with pursed lips before she shrugged. "Whatever you say, Roxas."

He sighed and nodded, gathering the pile of flyers under one arm and turning back toward the door. "Um…" Tifa grinned and shoved the chairs away from the entrance, holding one of the doors for him. "Thanks." He pulled a hand through his hair as she closed the door behind him, glancing down the street in the direction he'd traveled on his first trip, then turned and started along the sidewalk in the opposite direction.

* * *

Roxas only had to travel half the distance to distribute the remaining flyers, and by his watch morning had barely crept over into afternoon when he found himself at the bar for the final time. Tifa glanced up from her perch on a bar stool, then set aside the newspaper she'd been reading as she hopped down and came to meet him. "Finished?"

"Yeah."

She nodded, holding up one finger to indicate he should wait as she walked around the bar and crouched down out of sight. When she popped back up she had one lone bill clutched in her hand. "Here you go," she said, pressing it into his hand.

Roxas blinked down at the rumpled twenty-dollar bill. "That's it?" he asked, then bit his lip.

Tifa regarded him with what might have been sympathy. "'fraid so. Axel doesn't usually bother with these little jobs – he must be really hurting for money."

"Oh," Roxas mumbled, feeling a flush creeping up his neck for what felt like the thousandth time that day.

"Listen," Tifa said, leaning forward conspiratorially. "Are you sure you don't want a sandwich for the road?"

Roxas managed a watery grin and shook his head, shoving the money into his pocket. "Thanks anyway, Tifa."

Tifa hummed in faint disapproval as she straightened, flicking her bangs away from her face. "All right. Take care of yourself, Roxas."

"Yeah. You too, Tifa." They remained in place for a moment longer, then Roxas rubbed at the back of his neck and offered her one last awkward smile before he turned and left, hand fisted around the money in his pocket.


End file.
